“Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.”

Isaiah 51-53

“Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.” Isaiah 51:7-8

I continued my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series - today moving on to Lesson 19 - which focuses on Isaiah 51-53. This morning, my focus is Isaiah 51 where we see messianic prophecies and the grace of God who is SO FULL of compassion and patience for Israel...and ultimately all of humanity, providing His Son Jesus Christ as a path for forgiveness and eternal life (v8).  Several times in this chapter as well we are warned by God not to fear man nor place our hope in the world as this world will wither away and only Jesus and His Kingdom will last forever. See both v7-8 and v12-13.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and and who is full of grace, compassion and patience for me. Your Kingdom also lasts forever while this world will not last - and it is in You that I place my hope and this gives me great comfort and peace - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God...my sin is great and it continues...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. 

His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Daniel 7-8

His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:14

Day 263 of my chronological study of the Bible with The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®) (available by purchase through Amazon - author F. LaGard Smith) continues as go back to Daniel, where my commentary* indicates in exile and "[n]ow in his later years, Daniel has served a succession of Babylonian leaders....During the first and third years of Belshazzar’s rule, Daniel has two of the most amazing prophetic dreams since Ezekiel’s vision of the great battle against Gog and the hordes of evil....Various themes are evident. Throughout the universe, just as between warring nations, there is an ongoing battle between the forces of good and evil, between God and Satan, between justice and injustice, between morality and immorality. And the same battle is waged within every individual. While evil brings about its own destruction even now, there will come a time when the great destruction of evil and its champions will take place. It will be a final destruction, giving way to a permanent state of peace and righteousness in the eternal kingdom of God."

*Smith, F. LaGard. The Daily Bible® - In Chronological Order (NIV®). Harvest House Publishers. Kindle Edition. 

At the end of my scripture reading today (after Daniel 8), my commentary indicates: "Daniel himself did not know exactly what to make of all that he had seen, and any difficult questions which the visions may raise should not obscure the more obvious message of hope which the visions clearly bring."

While God's thoughts and His ways are not our own (Isaiah 55:8), and much of scripture remains a mystery, we certainly know that we can place our hope in Jesus who forgives sin, gives us life to the full now on earth, and eternity in Heaven with Him.  Jesus has dominion over all, including evil, sin, and death not just for us, but for all human kind and for all eternity (evil, sin and death will ultimately be defeated permanently).

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who has defeated evil, sin, and death...so that I and others can have life...to the full.  Thank You Jesus...for going to the cross for me and suffering on behalf of me.  I am not deserving of such a gift of grace.  My sins of gossip, worry, pride, etc. continue.  Forgive me 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 his incomparably great power for us who believe.

God’s Influence in Us
Ephesians 1

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength  he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. v18-21

God provides His children the Holy Spirit and I suspect many believers fail to grasp, myself included, the "incomparable great power" available to believers. It is easy to fall back into habits that focus on faith and trust in earthly powers but this is not only sinful but also fruitless as the powers of this world will come and go - God does not.


Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

...

In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. Daniel 2:44

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a God that is worthy of my praise as Your power is incomparable and You make it available to me through the Holy Spirit.  And I have seen this power at work in my life and in the lives around me...You are an awesome God.  Thank You for coming to earth to save me and for the Holy Spirit...and so much more...I am not worth such love and blessing.  I continue to have faith in earthly powers that come and go.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from such sin towards You.   Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, mind and strength.  Help me lover others as You do.  Help grow in my faith.  Give me strength.  Give Lisa strength.  Please heal and cure her of this cancer. Help me lead and serve Lisa, Zach and Dustin.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.