Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

Romans 8

Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Romans 8:33

Today I pause in my study of Isaiah to look at John Pipers Solid Joys (www.desiringgod.com > Features > Solid Joys), where the post for today unpacks the implications of God's justification of us.  In the Exalting Jesus in Romans commentary, Tony Merida states that in Romans 8:31-39 Paul's focus is for us to celebrate the security of God's love for us.  When we are saved, it is God who does the saving (Ephesians 2:8) as He welcomes us into His family as one His elect. In Romans 8:33, Piper, in his devotion, encourages us to see that first, it is GOD who has elected us - not any earthly power and not any divine power but the God of the Universe and the King of Kings!  There is no higher power!  Piper then wants us to see that such a declaration of our election and of how God sees us as justified in His eyes, then no one can take this away or overturn such a decision that God has made.  We are justified in God's eyes - end of story.  Piper writes: "[i]f God is the one who acquits you — declares you righteous in his sight — no one can appeal; no one can claim a technicality; no one can call for a mistrial; no one can look for other counts against you. God’s sentence is final and total."  The implication (and application) Piper wants us to see is "unshakable security" in the face of suffering or whatever the world throws at us.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You have made me one of Your family, one of Your elect and I am justified in Your eyes and with this I gain great peace, security, confidence, etc. - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings - my sin of worry, anger, etc. continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of [Babylon], my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.[”]

Isaiah 13

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of [Babylon], my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.[”] Revelation 18:4-5

I continue with my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I focused on Isaiah 13, where based on the Word, my study focus through a review of the Isaiah edition of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary - Series, I can clearly see God's anger with Babylon not just in history but also looking forward with how Babylon represents a world focused on sin - see also John Piper on this latter focus on Babylon in Revelation.  In Isaiah 13, we see God angry at sinners, specifically calling out the arrogant and ruthless. Isaiah prophecies both Babylon's destruction not just in the near future from Isaiah's time but also permanently during the end times. The Isaiah edition of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary - Series for Isaiah uses Revelation, with its focus on end times, and refers to Babylon in 18:4-5, where believers are warned to not be drawn to the sinful ways of Babylon. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has saved me from destructive forces - thank You Jesus!  I am blessed!  I am undeserving however as I often continue in my sin.  Please forgive me - worry, etc.  Help me turn from and overcome my sin and turn towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold.

Isaiah 13-14

Behold, I am stirring up the Medes against them, who have no regard for silver and do not delight in gold. Isaiah 13:17

I came back to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I continued by starting a review of Isaiah 13-14, where the focus is on God's anger with Israel's neighbors, starting with Babylon. Isaiah prophecies that Babylon will lay siege of Jerusalem and this comes to pass in three stages starting in 605 B.C.  Babylon will ultimately fall to Medes and we can see how God rises up one group to punish another whether that be either of the divided kingdoms (Israel or Judah) or one of the surrounding nations.  Regardless, it must be clear that it is God's hand, not the might or power of a king or its kingdom or army (see also this recent post).  Note how we see in Isaiah 13:17 how it is God that stirs up the Medes against Babylonia. God reigns. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You reign - Your Providence stretches from the beginning of time to the end of time - for all times.  It also stretches into the all corners of the universe - You reign!  You also have blessed me - in indescribable and unimaginable ways...despite my hostility towards You and my sin.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your blessings and love.  I worry and I have other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever.

Revelation 1

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Revelation 1:5b-6

Today, I pause from my study of Isaiah (using the ) to focus on a study of Revelation where I am participating in a disciple group on Monday nights - we are using a study authored by Stephen Witmer.  For today, my focus is the Overview (Chapter 1) where we get acquainted with the book of Revelation at a high level to understand broad themes that will be looked at more closely in subsequent chapters.  From the study guide, the key verse is 1:5b-6 where John praises Jesus.  My aim is to memorize this text in time for Monday night when I gather with my disciple group.  I am going to break down the text as follows:

1. To him who (a) loves us and (b) has freed us from our sins by his blood and (c) made us a kingdom...
2. ...(d) priests to his God and Father...
3. ...to him be glory and and dominion forever and ever

Jesus blessed us with (a), (b), (c), and (d) and therefore is worthy of glory and dominion forever and ever!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who HAS blessed me with Your love, freedom from my sins, election as chosen for Your Kingdom (eternally), and by making us priests with direct access to You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit!  You are worthy of praise and I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin continues - including worry.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.

On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly.

Zephaniah 3

On that day you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain. But I will leave in your midst a people humble and lowly. Zephaniah 3:11-12

I came back to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I continued a review of Isaiah 11-12, where the focus is on the remnant, and how God will gather the faithful that He has dispersed and assemble/unify them as a kingdom. My study refers me to Zephaniah 3:8-13 and Zechariah 10:6-12 where both discuss the restoration of the divided kingdoms of Israel and Judah and how God will be a signal for all nations to acknowledge Him as Lord.  Zephaniah, in particular, discusses how (see discussion of arrogance in recent posts) God humbles His people.  For us to make much of God, we must make less of ourselves. 

For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. Matthew 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24

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My Prayer: Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me. You have humbled me and allowed Yourself to work through me in my heart and life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace and compassion.  My sin is great and it continues - worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.

Isaiah 11-12

I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me. Isaiah 12:1

I came back to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I reviewed Isaiah 11-12, where we see rich details of a Messianic prophecy.  In particular, we see a God who is certainly full of righteous anger for an unfaithful Israel; yet we also see a God who is faithful to those who remain firm in their faith - the remnant - and faithful to the promise God made to David (Davidic Covenant) in 2 Samuel 7.  Isaiah 12:1 brings to mind how all believers were one "hostile" to God but in His amazing grace loved and saved us anyway:

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him[.] Colossians 1:21-22

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father, You are rich in mercy and grace - I know You loved and saved me while I was still hostile and an enemy to You - and I continue to sin.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your grace, salvation, and love.  My sin does continue...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.

Isaiah 10:5-34

When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes. Isaiah 10:12

I came back to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I reviewed Isaiah 10:5-34, where God uses Assyria to carry out judgement on Israel but then turns his attention to Assyria for punishment due to its arrogance as it should have been humbled in being a pawn or instrument of God's hand but instead saw itself as directing its own actions. Once again, as I have studied here in Isaiah and in many other books of the Bible, God humbles those who are arrogant and endeavors to bring low the proud so that they know that God reigns.  With such an acknowledgement we can then bow to the One True God and seek Him for our salvation - praying for His compassion and mercy.  Arrogance has been a thorn in my side and I am grateful indeed for God's mercy, compassion and for His salvation. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are SO full of grace, mercy and compassion - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such grace, mercy, and compassion.  My sin is great - including arrogance...and it continues with sin such as worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

So the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day—the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail; for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up.

Isaiah 9:8-10:4

So the Lord cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in one day—the elder and honored man is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail; for those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up. Isaiah 9:14-16

I came back to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I reviewed Isaiah 9:8-10:4, where God is angered by Israel as she has been led astray by false prophets and wicked kings. As I have posted previously, Ahaz chose not to remain firm in his faith (see Isaiah 7:9), turning to his own abilities and those of neighboring lands for protection.  In Isaiah 9:14-16, we see God angered by false prophets who have also led Israel astray.  We MUST have knowledge of God - and this comes from daily study of God's Word. We must be able to discern when we are getting led down a path that takes us away from God.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and feeds me with Your Word.  Thank You Jesus!  Your Word is not just truth but it is my daily bread - thank You Jesus!  I am grateful for Your Word and for all the people and sources that help me better understand Your intent for me through Your Word.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder[.]

2 Peter 3

This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder[.] 2 Peter 3:1

I continue a short pause on my study of Isaiah to listen to John Piper's devotional for today that focuses on a need to remind ourselves of how amazing it is WHO Jesus is and what HE has accomplished - for us.  We are urged to never allow ourselves to be dulled by Jesus' resurrection and what it means for us. We are reminded by Piper that (1) "[b]ecause of the resurrection of Jesus, we are born again to a living hope" (see also 1 Peter 1:3) and (2) "[b]ecause of Jesus’s resurrection, he now has the glory for which we were made. Our ultimate destiny is to see him as he is" (see also 1 Peter 1:21 and John 17:5, 24). Piper uses 2 Peter 3:1 as means to demonstrate how we need reminders of God's glory.

When we grow dull to who Jesus is and what He has done for us - it is then that we begin to think and live dangerously.  For example, we may think to ourselves that we don't need Jesus - every day.  This is dangerous indeed.  See also my post yesterday.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, YOU are amazing and YOU have done amazing things...for me!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin continues and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.

Psalm 147

He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? He sends out his word, and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow. Psalm 147:15-18

I continue a short pause on my study of Isaiah to listen to John Piper's devotional for today that focuses on how God creates dangerous environments in our life - for example, freezing cold weather - to remind us that these environments, and more broadly God Himself, are not to be "toyed" with.  In other words we must prepare ourselves. Piper writes: "[i]t is one more way God says, “Whether hot or cold, high or deep, sharp or blunt, loud or quiet, bright or dark . . . don’t toy with me. I am God. I made all these things. They speak of me, just like the warm summer breezes do, and the gentle rains, and the soft moonlit nights, and the lapping of the lakeside, and lilies of the field and the birds of the air.” I made a statement during a Bible study yesterday morning that might have offended a few people - that we must be very careful to seek God through Bible study and prayer daily and to not do so approaches arrogance because by implication you are saying "I don't need God today."  My view is this dangerous indeed and John Piper reinforces my position on this.   Piper, in another post, provides "ten reasons to read the Bible every day."  We must not toy with God - instead we must live in reverent fear of God that pushes us into His arms to seek His counsel through His Word. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God whose Word provides all that we need - thank You Jesus for Your Word and the blessings that flow from Your Word.  I am not deserving of these blessings.  I sin...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul.

Acts 23

When it was day, the Jews made a plot and bound themselves by an oath neither to eat nor drink till they had killed Paul. Acts 23:12

I am taking a short pause on my study of Isaiah to listen to John Piper's devotional for today that focuses on how Paul was immortal against any plot to kill him until Paul had reached Rome to deliver his testimony as God promised in Acts 23:11. Piper writes: "[n]o ambush can stand against the promise of Christ. Until he got to Rome, Paul was immortal. There was a final testimony to be given. And Christ would see to it that Paul would give it."  God's promises will stand up against any threat that conflicts with them. This should give us great hope and peace for God makes many promises and we can count on His faithfulness. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who keeps His promises - thank You for Your faithfulness!  I am not deserving of such a blessing as continue to sin - daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples. I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.

Isaiah 8-9

Bind up the testimony; seal the teaching among my disciples. I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. Isaiah 8:16-17

I continued my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I reviewed Isaiah 8:11-9:7, looking at the allure of the world. One of key highlights from the text today is Isaiah 8:16-17 where God seeks for us to "bind up" and "seal the teaching among my disciples" and to "wait for the Lord" - this is where we have hope.  When we bind up and seal God's Word and His teaching - we secure it in our hearts and minds so that it may serve as the basis for our peace, encouragement and strength during times of difficulty.  Those faithful who witnesses God's wrath during period's of Israel's unfaithfulness found courage in God's words, specifically in His prophecies in Isaiah that promised that Israel would be restored and that there would be a King who would reign forever. We can do as those faithful did during Isaiah's time. I am encouraged by the many stories of those in the Bible who waited for the Lord - Simeon (Luke 2) is one of those stories.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You bless those who wait, and those who rest in Your promises.  I have seen Your promises come to pass - many upon many - thank You Jesus for Your faithfulness.  I am not deserving of Your love and faithfulness.  My sin of worry and other sins continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.”

Isaiah 8

“Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and rejoice over Rezin and the son of Remaliah, therefore, behold, the Lord is bringing up against them the waters of the River, mighty and many, the king of Assyria and all his glory. And it will rise over all its channels and go over all its banks, and it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass on, reaching even to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.” Isaiah 8:6-8

I came back to my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I reviewed Isaiah 8, looking at the allure of the world.  In Isaiah 8:5-8, we see an image of God in gently flowing water (waters of Shiloah) in contrast to the power of raging waters perceived in the neighboring lands such as Assyria (assistance understanding this text found here with this commentary). The study refers us to other text where God is referred to as "living water" (see Jeremiah 2:13, 18-19, and John 7:37-38) or the "water of life" (see Revelation 22:17).  The world has much allure but nothing equals the One True God who truly satisfies and is able to provide what nothing in the world can - freedom from the sting of sin and death...and all the blessings in between!  In Romans 12:2 were are told by Paul "not to conform to the patterns of this world."  We are to take heed in such text and seek Him!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who truly satisfies all my needs - the Living Water and the Water of Life - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of all the blessings You pour out for me.  My sin of being captured by the allure of the world, worry, and other sins, continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.

1 John 3

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. 1 John 3:16

I am taking a short pause on my study of Isaiah to listen to John Piper's devotional for today that focuses on Jesus' intentional steps to Calvary - as He loved us with each step (and still does). Jesus could have stopped His death on the cross at any moment (as Piper references in Matthew 26:52-54), but He knew that His Father sent Him to fulfill scripture and part of the plan was for Him to die on the cross...and for Him to rise from the dead three days later. Jesus' obedience was not just an act of love for the Father but also an act of love for each one of us who can experience freedom the sting of sin and death. 

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My Prayer: Jesus, I know You love me because You died for me...You also never leave or forsake me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord—this same King Ahaz. For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel.

Isaiah 7

 In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the Lord—this same King Ahaz. For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus that had defeated him and said, “Because the gods of the kings of Syria helped them, I will sacrifice to them that they may help me.” But they were the ruin of him and of all Israel. 2 Chronicles 28:22-23

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I continue with Isaiah 7, looking again at Ahaz's response to God's call for him to be firm in his faith (Isaiah 7:9). For additional details on Ahaz, we are referred to 2 Chronicles 28. Ahaz saw that his efforts with the king of Assyria did not help, nor did Ahaz's turn towards foreign gods help either - but he doubled down nonetheless. In Isaiah 7 we see that God's anger burned not just for Ahaz and the people that followed him, but also for the land as it was devastated with "briers and thorns" (v23, 25). Our study asks us to closely examine where we have allowed "foreign gods" to rise in prominence in our lives.  Worthy question indeed.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who reigns over everything - my life and every where under the universe.  You give me life, provide, and protect me, and You never leave or forsake me.  Thank You Jesus!  Yet my sin is great and it persists daily - I allow idols and foreign gods to distract me from worshiping You.  Please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.

Isaiah 7

If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all. Isaiah 7:9

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I continue with Isaiah 7, looking more closely at the extent to which Ahaz truly was firm in his faith.  The study refers us once again to 2 Kings 16, where we see a more detailed account of Ahaz's response to the threat of Rezin (king of Syria) and Pekah (son of king of Israel). From an earlier reading of 2 Kings 16, we saw that Ahaz "did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God" (v2), so it should be no surprise that his faith was not firm at all. Ahaz instead hatched a plan of his own - and he initiated an alliance with Assyria and Assyria overtook Damascus, killing Rezin (v7-9).  Ahaz went as far as create a worship space modeled after that which he found in Damascus (v10-11) - idol worship! We all have our idols in life, that which we worship, including other people - the key question is the extent to which these idols are at or above the One True God. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are indeed great and You have blessed me beyond what I deserve - far too many blessings to even count or describe.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sin is daily and it is great.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Isaiah 7

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I continue with Isaiah 7, looking more closely at Isaiah 7:10-17 where God addresses the house of David and referring to the Davidic Covenant made from 2 Samuel 7 when God promised David that:

When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’” 2 Samuel 7:12-16

Ahaz and Judah will not be wiped out - God is faithful and will fulfill the promise He made to David and his descendants.  

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My Prayer: Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is faithful and will never leave or forsake me - I can count on You and Your promises - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the love and blessings You pour for me. My sin - of worry and other sins - continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

[T]hus says the Lord God: “‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’”

Isaiah 7

[T]hus says the Lord God: “‘It shall not stand,  and it shall not come to pass. For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin. And within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered from being a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah. If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’” Isaiah 7:7-9

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I look more closely at Isaiah 7, where Ahaz is protected against warfare waged by Syria and from Pekah (son of Remaliah, king of Israel).  For additional background and history, the study has us look also at 2 Kings 16, where it states that Ahaz "did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord his God," yet from Isaiah 7:7 we see that God does not allow the attack from Syria and from Pekah to succeed. God offers Ahaz grace and protection against this attack and God urges Ahaz to have faith in God as it is this faith that will protect him. We are referred to Hebrews 11:6 for additional encouragement on faith. 

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who is full of compassion and grace for me - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such compassion and grace.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.  

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; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Isaiah 6

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; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  Today, I look more closely at Isaiah 6:9-10, which my study refers to as "the most quoted verses from Isaiah in the New Testament." As such, I look more closely at where the New Testament refers to these verses, including:

• Matthew 13:13-17 (Matthew's account of Jesus telling the parable of the sower)
  
• Mark 4:10-12 (Mark's account of Jesus telling the parable of the sower)
• Luke 8:9-10 (Luke's account of Jesus telling the parable of the sower)
• John 12:37-41
• Acts 28:23-29

In particular, using Acts 28:23-29, the study asks us to look closely at how many of the Jewish leaders rejected Paul's teaching and use of Isaiah. A question in my mind is did the Jewish leaders really know their scripture, for if they truly knew that Paul was quoting Isaiah, they perhaps would not have reacted in the way they did.  Instead it appeared they were offended and rejected Paul's preaching and the Good News. I am challenged to avoid a similar mistake which would be to reject teachings of God through ignorance of the Word. I am more motivated than ever to satisfy an ever growing "hunger and thirst for righteousness."

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My Prayer: Heavenly Father - thank You for Your Word.  Through study of Your Word, I see my own sin and I can see how You are molding me into more of Your image - I know You are not done yet but thank You for the sanctification process!  I am blessed!  Yet I am not deserving of this blessing, nor any of the blessings You pour out for me.  My sin of worry and other sins continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.

 Hebrews 10

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. Hebrews 10:35

Given I have not felt that well in the past few days, I am taking a short pause from my study in Isaiah to soak in God's Word in ways where I can hold my concentration. I return to John Piper's Solid Joys daily devotion where today Piper looks at the surpassing worth of Jesus vs what the world offers. Piper writes: "[e]verything the world has to offer, God is better and more abiding. There is no comparison. God wins — every time."  I am drawn to a verse in Philippians:

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Philippians 3:7-8

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves and who is infinitely more valuable than anything I experience in the world - thank You for all the blessings You pour out for me and for making me an heir to an incredible inheritance - something the world cannot offer!  I am not deserving of this or any other blessing You provide.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me Jesus for my sin and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Isaiah 6

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” Isaiah 6:8

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 14 of my study, I look more closely at God's call for a messenger to deliver a warning to Judah and Jerusalem regarding their unfaithfulness.  Isaiah 6:8 specifically indicates "us" and the study urges me to look more closely at who is "us."  I am referred to Genesis 1:1-2, and 11:6-9. In both sets of scripture, we see the use of either "us" or both God the Father and the Holy Spirit being present.  This is new learning for me - as I have often heard sermons or similar messages on how the Godhead - including the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - have all existed since the beginning and will continue to exist in eternity. Yet now I have more meat on the bone - specific verses that help me see how the deities in the Godhead have manifested themselves in key Biblical moments, including here in Isaiah.  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God and You, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are ever-present, all-knowing, and all powerful.  I am grateful that You love me, even when I was still sinning, hostile to You, and an enemy to You - You called me as one of Your elect.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  My sin of worry, etc. continues among many sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Isaiah 6

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:7

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 13 of my study, I look more closely at the holiness of God and our response, including how are driven into the arms of the Lord based on His amazing grace.  Isaiah 6:3 refers to God's holiness and the study urges us to look elsewhere in scripture where God is depicted as holy.  One such reference is in Leviticus 11:44-45 where in v45, God says:

You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. Leviticus 11:45

The study also refers us to Deuteronomy where God discusses what may qualify a king to serve over Israel:

[The king] shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel. Deuteronomy 17:18-20

Knowledge of the Lord is key - as I have posted a few days ago.

Knowledge of the Lord reveals our sin and points us back to Him for forgiveness and His mercy.

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My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God who is Holy and seeks for me to be Holy.  You give me Your Word so that I can know and worship You appropriately - through confession, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of You grace and mercy.  Thank You for Your Word and The Holy Spirit so that I can better understand You Word. I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sins continue...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people[.]

Isaiah 6

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.” And he said, “Go, and say to this people[.] Isaiah 6:8-9

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 12 of my study, I start an examination of Isaiah 6:8-9. Today, the study asks us to review the similarities from Isaiah 6 to other portraits of God in Heaven during the end times to accounts from Revelation 4 and Ezekiel 1-3. All accounts of end times include at least one common theme - we are to be clear that God reigns over the entire universe, all of its inhabitants, and for all times - before time began and after time ends - eternity.  He is all-knowing and all powerful.  The visions from Isaiah, Revelation, and Ezekiel are all awe-inspiring, and we are to be moved into action to warn others that they must acknowledge Jesus and accept Him as Lord and Savior.  We must all then be willing servants in the Great Commission (Matthew 28) to "[g]o therefore and make disciples of all nations" - proclaiming the Good News. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who called me to You to be one of Your elect - thank You Jesus!  You also used others as instruments in Your plan to call me not just to You but closer to You so that I could molded into more of Your image and glorify and serve You.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin continues - worry and other sins.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

Isaiah 6

And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Isaiah 6:5 

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 11 of my study, I start an examination of Isaiah 6. Today, the takeaway comes from Isaiah 6:5 where Isaiah has a vision of God on the throne in Heaven during end times and of course it is both awe inspiring and frightening, even for the faithful.  Isaiah reacts, appropriately, with trembling, or reverent fear. God seeks for us to have an appropriate vision of God because this of course inspires to run into His arms both out of fear and for protection.  John Piper refers to this as fear as preservative. Piper writes about how an appropriate vision of God inspires faith in this post. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who is all powerful and who is in complete control - You hold the entire universe and my life in Your hand - even though I have been hostile and an enemy of You - You embrace me and chose me as one of Your elect.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving.  My sins continue.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst.

Isaiah 5

Therefore my people go into exile for lack of knowledge; their honored men go hungry, and their multitude is parched with thirst. Isaiah 5:13

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 10 of my study, I wrap my look at Isaiah 3-5, focusing on Isaiah 5. Today, the takeaway comes from Isaiah 5:13 where God shares how His people "go into exile for lack of knowledge."  The lack of knowledge is knowledge of God - understanding of God's Word, which in turn creates an appreciation of who God is and what He has done for us, which in turn causes us to love and seek Him more. The Precepts study had us look at Hosea 4:1-6 as Hosea was a contemporary of Isaiah.  Hosea 4 does highlight God's disappointment of God in Israel's lack of knowledge: 

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. Hosea 4:6

It is of course important to be saved but it is also important for believers to grow in their relationship with the Lord and this is done through study of God's Word.  For many years, I attended and served in church regularly - without reading God's Word.  How sinful - I worshiped a God I barely knew!  I am grateful that God nonetheless drew my closer to Him since then. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - thank You.  Thank You for welcoming me into Your arms despite How I for many years kept my distance from You.  I am not deserving of Your grace and compassion. I continue to sin - worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.

Isaiah 5

Let me sing for my beloved my love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. Isaiah 4:2

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 9 of my study, I start with Isaiah 5. While in the coming days, I will explore Isaiah 5 in more detail, this chapter starts with a portrait of a loving God who cares for and provides for His creation.  It ends on a sorrowful note where despite God's loving care for His creation (Israel specifically) - the yield of His creation is not what He desires.  Contrast the wild grapes discussed here in Isaiah 5 with the "fruits of the Spirit" Paul discusses in Galatians 5:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

Once again, we exist to make much of God's name and to produce fruit.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who cares for me in all ways - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You care for me - including my salvation.  My sin is great and it is daily.  Please forgive me for my worry and other sins.  Help me turn from my sin and towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel.

Isaiah 3-4

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. Isaiah 4:2

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 8 of my study, where I proceed with Isaiah 3-4, the key takeaway comes from Isaiah 4:2 where God promises a branch of the Lord that will survive His judgement.  I am reminded that as one of God's elect - of course not through any actions of my own but purely due to His grace - I exist to glorify Him.   The branch of the Lord as described in Isaiah 4:2 is "beautiful and glorious," and all believers are called to be "beautiful and glorious."  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God that has called me to be one of His elect - the branch.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin - worry, etc. - continues.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day. 

Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

Isaiah 3-4

Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain. Isaiah 4:5-6

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 7 of my study, where I proceed with Isaiah 3-4, the key takeaway comes from Isaiah 4 where God promises a remnant of Israel will survive his judgement. God promises that this remnant will not only survive, but also experience cleansing from their sins (see post yesterday), and how God will be with the remnant, protecting them.  We all need a Savior who will do these things - Jesus is this Savior. 

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me, who cleanses my sin, gives me life - to the full and for eternity - and protects me...all incredible blessings.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  I sin...daily...worry, etc.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.