“And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord.

Isaiah 58-60

“And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 58:13-14

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  My study of Isaiah moves on to day 2 (of 5) of week 21, which looks at Isaiah 58-60.  Day 2 reviews God's words on fasting from Isaiah 58 (see post yesterday) and then looks at Isaiah 59 where God mostly focuses on Israel's sin and wickedness but starting in v16, God points to a redeemer who intercedes on our behalf.  Of course this redeemer is Jesus Christ.  Ligonier provides this post as an encouragement for those who stand for the truth of Jesus Christ in the face of persecution.  The post shares that "...we might feel like giving up and going along with the crowd, but that would be the worst mistake we could ever make. A day is coming when God will no longer withhold His wrath but suit up for battle. He will repay His enemies according to their deeds, not graciously as He did on the cross, conquering us by bringing us over to His side. Instead, the Lord will conquer His enemies on that day by giving them the full measure of His just wrath (Isa. 59:15b–19)."

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My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God - I know You love me and I know You give me life - to the full now, and for eternity in Heaven.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You love me.  My sin is great and it continues.  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, 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 for Zach and Dustin to point them to You.  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 turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Isaiah 58-60

“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the Lord, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  My study of Isaiah moves on to day 1 (of 5) of week 21, which looks at Isaiah 58-60.  Day 1 focuses on Isaiah 58, and the study indicates that this chapter includes "a definitive collection of statements on fasting," including how not to fast and how to fast - of course from a Godly perspective. The key takeaway is that believers should not practice fasting, or any spiritual discipline, while explicitly and willfully sinning.  The chapter contrasts false fasting (v1-5) with true fasting (v6-14).  This morning, this post by John Piper helps take this topic further to understand the purpose of fasting for believers.  Piper highlights Matthew 9:14-15 as helping us understand when to fast.  The audio portion of the host also points to A Hunger for God as an excellent book/resource on this topic. Key statements from Piper in this post include: "[w]e fast to express our longing or our ache for all the implications of Jesus’s power in the present moment that isn’t completely realized. We want to see people healed. We want to see people saved. We want to see marriages redeemed. We ache, and we long for this to happen; therefore, we ask Jesus to come by putting this exclamation point of longing at the end of our desires." Piper also writes in the post how fasting helps with "negative exposure of the heart," as our deep longing during fasting exposes latent idolatry.  This morning's study certainly leaves me encouraged with how I can immediately use fasting in my life as a way to amplify my longing to see God's power in the present world.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who seeks for me to depend on You fully - You do provide for all of my needs and You do want me to long for Your power - You do hear and respond to my prayers.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of Your love and the blessings You pour out for us.  Help me overcome and turn from my sins 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 have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.

Isaiah 54-57

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him. Isaiah 57:18-19

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  My study of Isaiah moves on to day 5 (of 5) of week 20, which looks at Isaiah 54-57.  Day 5 focuses on Isaiah 57, which contrasts the futility of idolatry with God's compassion that is as described a couple of days ago from Exodus 34:6 where it states "God [is] merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[.]"  See also commentary from Charles Spurgeon. What an incredible God we have that as Spurgeon describes "God has two temples. The one is the high and holy place: the other is the lowly and the humble place. May we have him in our hearts, and then shall we be in his heaven ere long." Amen!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who offers salvation to those who repent and believe in Him.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of such a God.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  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.  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.

Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.

Isaiah 54-57

Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O Lord my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you, that your eyes may be open day and night toward this house, the place where you have promised to set your name, that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place. And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen from heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. 2 Chronicles 6:19-21

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  My study of Isaiah moves on to day 4 (of 5) of week 20, which looks at Isaiah 54-57.  Day 3 once again focuses on Isaiah 55-56. One of the questions from the study this morning urges us to look at how God refers to His "house of prayer" in Isaiah 56 (see v7) and believers are to see how God wants us to pray - the study refers us to 2 Chronicles 6:19-21, 32-33, 36-40 and 7:12-16. I am encouraged to pray - this is certainly a spiritual discipline where I need to grow.  Please help me Lord develop this spiritual discipline.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who hears all my cries and responds - thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of how You are full of compassion and help me carry my burden.  Thank You.  Yet 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.

["]The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[."]

Exodus 34

["]The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness[."] Exodus 34:6

I pause my study of Isaiah for today, and listen to DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotional - which today focuses on God's infinite love for us as believers. John Piper states that "[God] wants us to understand and feel that the resources of his love are not limited. You can drink at this mountain spring all day, year after year, generation after generation, and it never runs dry....[H]e does not need us to fill up any deficiency in himself. Instead his infinite self-sufficiency spills over in love to us — to sinners — who need him, and the gift of himself in Jesus." Indeed!  Believers, be encouraged by God's limitless love and make use of this invaluable resource!

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and whose love is limitless - thank You Jesus for making this love available to me, for saving me, and for never leaving or forsaking me.  I am not deserving of such love.  My sin is great and it continues daily....seeking comfort and joy in the world vs God - please forgive me Jesus!  Help me overcome and turn from this 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.

Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David.

Isaiah 54-57

Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David. Isaiah 55:3

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  My study of Isaiah moves on to day 3 (of 5) of week 20, which looks at Isaiah 54-57.  Day 3 once again focuses on Isaiah 55-56.  As it is discussed here, "Isaiah is the only Major Prophet whose story takes place before the fall of Jerusalem. While Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesy about these events before and while they happen, Isaiah looks into the future to see Judah’s Babylonian captivity....Isaiah’s most famous prophecies, however, concern Jesus. No other prophet is referenced in the New Testament as much as Isaiah. Isaiah preaches of the coming King who will rule Israel and the nations in justice and peace. He also looks forward to a special Servant of God: one who will fulfill all Israel’s duties and bear their sins."  Believers of today, should use Jesus as a basis to see God's faithfulness as Isaiah prophesied about Jesus well before He came to be our Messiah, and Isaiah's words of encouragement and hope for the exiled kingdom of Judah should encourage and offer us hope today as well.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God and You are faithful!  Thank You Jesus for Your faithfulness, as I know You can never leave or forsake me and You always provide.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of such love and blessings.  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.

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.”

Isaiah 54-57

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” Isaiah 56:6-8

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  My study of Isaiah begins with day 2 (of 5) of week 20, which looks at Isaiah 54-57.  Day 2 focuses on Isaiah 55-56.  Isaiah 55 describes God's great compassion, as both the wicked and unrighteous are offered forgiveness if they repent and turn towards the Lord (Isaiah 55:7). Isaiah 55 also describes a more fertile land vs previous descriptions Isaiah as desolate (Isaiah 55:13). Isaiah 56 describes how God offers the riches of His inheritance towards not just the remnant of Israel, but also foreigners (Isaiah 56:3-8). Of course, this is a foretaste of the Great Commission, where Jesus commands the disciples to go out into the world - all of it - to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, and to make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an incredible God who loves me and who offers Himself, freely, to anyone who accepts You as His Lord and Savior.  Thank You for the salvation You gave me - I am not deserving of course.  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.