Cry to God with Grace

Isaiah 58:9-11
Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; You shall cry, and He will say, “Here I am.'  ‘If you take away the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness, 10 If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul, Then your light shall dawn in the darkness, And your darkness shall be as the noonday.

11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

To cry out to God (in prayer) brings us near when we are not pointing out and condemning others, but when we reach out to help those in need around us.  As much as we do this to the least of these, we do to Him.  Then His light will guide us as we pray and live life - then we can be fruitful and find joy and fulfillment in our relationship with God in Christ as we please Him by loving others because He first loved us.

What is the most important truth of the Bible and why?  That while we were still sinners (thinking and doing all against God), Christ Jesus suffered and died and rose again for us to offer reconciliation with God.

Peace With God

Isaiah 57:19-21
“I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him who is far off and to him who is near,” Says the Lord, “And I will heal him.”  20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, When it cannot rest, Whose waters cast up mire and dirt.  21 “There is no peace,” Says my God, “for the wicked.”

Those who are known by God may wander off, but He heals and restores them, bringing peace.  Those who have not been made right before God in Christ are still wicked in their hearts (opposed to and not accepting God on His terms not in Jesus Christ) - and so find no peace, having troubled hearts and open wounds of the soul.  The good news is that Jesus Christ offers restoration and lasting peace. 

Humble and Contrite Heart of Repentance

Isaiah 57:15-16  
For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

“I dwell in the high and holy place, With him who has a contrite and humble spirit, To revive the spirit of the humble, And to revive the heart of the contrite ones.  16 For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made.

God dwells in Forever.  He is holy.  And He wants us to live with Him, having humility and brokenness over our sin in light of His eternity and holiness.  He looks for a contrite and humble heart of repentance, of turning from sin to Him.  Those who pursue these things from the heart will find life and forgiveness, mercy in place of His anger over our sin. Christ restores this relationship; we then follow with joy, peace, and humility.  John 3:16-21

God Preserves From Evil

Isaiah 57:1

The righteous perishes, And no man takes it to heart; Merciful men are taken away, While no one considers That the righteous is taken away from evil.

God preserves His own in ways and thoughts beyond our own; sometimes His mercy takes us home to be spared living among the evil men do, especially when living righteously enough to be grieved constantly by it all.  I thank God that He knows best. 

Seed and Bread of His Word

Isaiah 55:10-11
“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater, 11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

God's word can be like snow that slowly melts as the heart and mind beneath thaw to its nourishment, or can be like rain that pours down and brings life nearly instantly.  The food that results is certain and effective to cause life and growth, because when God speaks through the written or read Bible, the effects are real and give life.  No manmade philosophy or wisdom can change the dead into living and growing.  The seed of His word provides the bread of life (John 1:1, 14). 

Listen, Hear, and Live

Isaiah 55:2-3, 6-7  
Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy?  Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, And let your soul delight itself in abundance.  3 Incline your ear, and come to Me.  Hear, and your soul shall live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you—The sure mercies of David.  6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.  7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.

Why do people spend time, effort, and money trying to earn their way to God, when it is impossible?  Listen to what God said in the Bible through the prophets and His Son Jesus Christ - then you will find mercy, life, and peace with Him.  Seek Him out, turn from wrong to right thoughts and actions; Christ Jesus will forgive completely and freely give what you can never earn.    Remember those who have fought to set men free, and then the One who died to set all free! 

Our Righteousness is From God

Isaiah 54:17 
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.  This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the Lord.

God looks over His people.  In the end, those who persecute us will face judgment, while we find Christ's righteousness in and over us as our heritage in Him.  Though He may not always protect our bodies, He preserves our souls.  Truly our only righteousness comes from Him, imputed to us as it is accounted to us as seen in Christ! 

Eternal Mercy of Kindness

Isaiah 54:8-10 
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.  9 “For this is like the waters of Noah to Me; For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth, So have I sworn That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.  10 For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,” Says the Lord, who has mercy on you.

Just as God promised never to flood the earth to destroy sinful man again, as with Noah He shows mercy forever in love.  The deliverance from sin's wages is His promise of forgiveness in a salvation that cannot be undone or taken away.  His covenant that brings peace in making us right with Him will never be taken away - and we cannot give it up either.  This is eternal grace's security. 

Sheep Gone Astray Called Back

Isaiah 53:6, 11-12 
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.  11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.  By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.  12 ...Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

Again I am in awe of God's plan to bring us back to Himself from our disobedience and unworthiness - in Christ who was to come Isaiah gave the message how the Christ would see our wandering in sin, take on our sin as if He should take our punishment instead, let Himself be murdered with criminals, and do all to be able to stand between us and God's just punishment to deliver us.  He set us free who believe. 

The Messiah Bore Our Grief and Sorrow

Isaiah 53:4-5
Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.  5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Jesus Christ took our pain of sin and sadness as if it were His own, to the point where He seemed afflicted by God.  These were our sins on the sinless one.  He then was beaten to suffer in our place for our due punishment, bringing peace in reconciling us to God.  He healed us by being beaten, then died to cover our sin's justice, but also rose again to offer hope in a rebirth, a way to finally be able to do as He says out of love and with Him living inside us! 

Beautiful Feet of Messengers of Salvation

Isaiah 52:6-7 
Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: ‘ Behold, it is I. ’  7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

God spoke as Jesus Christ to us, showing He and the Father are one.  So now we should be telling others that good news, that God has done what offers us a way to be reconciled with Him - finding peace in deliverance from our hopeless separation from Him by our sin.  He truly is Lord of all.  He reigns over each person and the entire universe.  These feet of ours are to be beautiful messengers of salvation. 

His Law in Our Hearts

Isaiah 51:7-8  
“Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults.  8 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 from generation to generation.”

Why fear men when God has put His heart into ours, writing His words and intent as Law into us who are reborn?  Those opposed to God will pass away, but His righteousness and salvation in us is forever.  Eternity outlasts evil intent. 

God Pleased by Our Repentance, Not Damnation

Ezekiel 18:23  
Do I have any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” says the Lord God, “ and not that he should turn from his ways and live?

Ezekiel 18:31-32   Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!”

Mark 1:14-15   14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “ The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

God has always called us to turn from sin to Him (repentance).  It is not His intention that we die in our sin and have to be separated from Him (hell) after we die - so Jesus not only began by telling us to repent, but also to believe the good news, the gospel.  God was in Himself reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, and we must turn and believe, accepting all He said and did for us. 

See Christ and Worship Him!

Matthew 28:17-20  
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “ All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

God in Christ has all authority and power, so why do some doubt and not worship Him?  Those of us who know Him and that He is absolute in authority (Lord of all), why do we then not make disciples and teach them all Jesus taught us?  He is with us until the end of this world and into forever.  Let us walk with Him eternally now...

... teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:20) 

Heaven and Earth Will Pass Away...

Isaiah 51:6  
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath.  For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished.

In the end, God will remake the universe (heaven and earth).  He will then make all things new.  Though this is all temporary, the salvation offered to us will never end or be taken away, and He will remain righteous.  So we must live to please Him - not out of fear to lose our deliverance from sin and death and hell, but out of reverent love and thanksgiving.

2 Peter 3:11-13

Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? 13 Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. 

Motives of a Loyal Heart and Willing Mind

1 Chronicles 28:9 
“As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a loyal heart and with a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts and understands all the intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will cast you off forever.

1 Corinthians 4:5   Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one's praise will come from God.

God searches through our hearts to see what our motives are; He alone knows the deep things that others (and even ourselves) do not always readily grasp.  God is not looking for us to earn His love and acceptance for salvation, yet wants our loyal hearts driven by love to please Him behind all we think, do, and say.  When we stand before Him, we will see clearly in this dim mirror. 

Trust and Obey in the Light

Isaiah 50:10
“Who among you fears the Lord?  Who obeys the voice of His Servant?  Who walks in darkness And has no light?  Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God.

Trust God, fear Him, and do as He says.  Christ gave us commands to follow so we would find light in this present darkness around us.  So we can rely on Him fully and walk with Him.   We are to trust and obey as we walk in His light. 

Face as a Flint, Absolute Trust in God

Isaiah 50:7-9  
“For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.  8 He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me?  Let us stand together.  Who is My adversary?  Let him come near Me.  9 Surely the Lord God will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me?  Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up.

God in Jesus Christ has completely justified me, no matter who argues against me or tries to condemn me.  They literally can die trying to attack me, as Christ's work on my behalf is finished forever on the cross and up from the grave!  So I rely fully on His help and will not be ashamed nor disgraced as a son of the most high one.  My face is set in determined security as a flint, absolutely trusting in God and His work for me in Christ on the cross! 

Words of Wisdom Come From God

Isaiah 50:4, 5  
“The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary.  He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned."  5 The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away.

God gives me wisdom and understanding - so that I can help others with a word.  Words of wisdom come only from God.  Each day I awaken to listen, as I am now doing, to hear and not turn from whatever challenge or rebuke or encouragement I need.  He opens the eyes of my heart and ears to hear that I may serve Him and others.  

Heavens Sing and the Earth Rejoices!

Isaiah 49:13

Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted.

God's grace and mercy and comfort shown to us in Jesus the Christ should fill us with such joy that we cannot help but sing it out to our Lord.  This grace of God's comfort and mercy cause the very heavens to sing (Luke 15:7, 10)! 

In His Acceptable Time

Isaiah 49:8-9
Thus says the Lord:  “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth, ’ To those who are in darkness, ‘ Show yourselves. ’ “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights.

God rescued me from the darkness of sin and ignorance of Him; shining in my soul He opened my eyes.  Called to light, the beckoning is also to fight - reconciling the world to Himself I speak.  So the prisoners who listen find freedom in light, Christ setting them free for eternity.  How those released from death's soul bondage now can feed and grow, no longer desolate, but full in righteousness!  This is in His acceptable time, as He draws and calls us out. 

Redeemer Who Leads into Peace

Isaiah 48:17-18 
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go.  18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments!  Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea.

God leads the way we should go for our advantage and His glory.  When we follow in obedience from the heart and not just to avoid punishment, He gives peace and righteousness.  Ultimately we only are righteous in Christ, but the effect of walking with Him in step with His Spirit living inside us (putting deeds of flesh to death as we work out our salvation) is practical and effectual righteousness.  This is peace with God in Christ. 

Message from the Beginning

Isaiah 48:3-7 
“I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it.  Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass.  5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.'  6 “You have heard; See all this.  And will you not declare it?  I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them.  7 They are created now and not from the beginning; And before this day you have not heard them, Lest you should say, ‘Of course I knew them.’

God revealed over and over what He was going to do, often such new unseen things to show there is no way anyone could say they knew that would happen.  All this is to show us who doubt just how much God knows and can do.  If we do not give Him the due credit (praise, glory), then we miss the mark.  Our idols of atheism, self reliance and pride of life (our knowledge, intelligence) all fall short of His works and control over the universe. 

Our Own Way Leads to Death

Isaiah 47:10-11  
“For you have trusted in your wickedness; You have said, “ No one sees me’; Your wisdom and your knowledge have warped you; And you have said in your heart, ‘I am, and there is no one else besides me.'  11 Therefore evil shall come upon you; You shall not know from where it arises.  And trouble shall fall upon you; You will not be able to put it off.  And desolation shall come upon you suddenly, Which you shall not know.

Many people think they can do whatever they want, no matter how evil in God's eyes, and not be held accountable.  Some go so far as to think there is no God to answer to.  But God will judge them, and they will answer in this life and forever unless they admit they are sinners (do evil by God's standards), believe that only God is and they are not, trust in Christ's sacrifice in their place for answering to the fair punishment of their sin, and then being remade inside to know God sees all - and follow Him. 

Sovereignly Carried to Old Age

Isaiah 46:4,9-10 
Even to your old age, I am He, And even to gray hairs I will carry you!  I have made, and I will bear; Even I will carry, and will deliver you.  9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other, I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure, ’

God always carries His people, even until we are old and grey.  He alone delivers, so we must take time to look back and confess that it has always been His work in our lives; there is no other God, and we have not been responsible for all that He has done.  He does all, and time is in His hands as the future is always known to the omniscient One. 

Every Knee Will Bow to the Savior

Isaiah 45:22-23  
“Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth!  For I am God, and there is no other.  23 I have sworn by Myself; The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.  24 He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, And all shall be ashamed Who are incensed against Him.

... Philippians 2:10-11   that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Deliverance is only in our great God and savior, Jesus Christ!  Every knee will certainly bow in submission and adoration to our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 1:1).  He spoke, we bow to Him as Lord, confessing who He is - and admit the only righteousness we have, the only power, is in Him.  In the end, those who hate Him will face judgment in shame forever.  God gets the honor and glory when we believe when He says we are unrighteous, every one of us, and trust Christ's goodness to be ours when He makes us anew.  

Saved with Everlasting Salvation!

Isaiah 45:15-17  
Truly You are God, who hide Yourself, O God of Israel, the Savior! 16 They shall be ashamed And also disgraced, all of them; They shall go in confusion together, Who are makers of idols.  17 But Israel shall be saved by the Lord With an everlasting salvation; You shall not be ashamed or disgraced Forever and ever.

As the end of the preceding verse says, "They will make supplication to you, saying, ‘ Surely God is in you, And there is no other; There is no other God. ’”   When Jesus gives us new life, others can see Him, the one who "hides" Himself in us.  People will serve idols of their own hands or imagination's work, but deliverance from our sin and its just punishment is only in God through Jesus.  That is forever - from before time and past its ending.  There is no shame or disgrace in our God.  Ever. 

This Clay Does Not Rule the Potter's Hand

Isaiah 45:9, 12-13  
“Woe to him who strives with his Maker!  Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth!  Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘ What are you making? ’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’?  13 I have made the earth, And created man on it.  I—My hands — stretched out the heavens, And all their host I have commanded.  13 I have raised him up in righteousness, And I will direct all his ways;

We have no ground to stand on that we can accuse God in how He makes us or whom He chooses for what purpose, even if that purpose is to allow sin’s punishment to bring judgement.  He hardens whoever He chooses, and shows mercy on who He wills; it is not our judgement to direct His will or to condemn Him, since we are all condemned in our own sin already (Romans 9:15-18, 20-23).  This clay does not rule the Potter's hand, but is subject to His good will to make and use us as He planned. 

God Our Creator and Redeemer

Isaiah 44:24 
Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: “I am the Lord, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;"

Isaiah 45:2-3  I will go before you And make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze And cut the bars of iron.  3 I will give you the treasures of darkness And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel. 

God is our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.  He made everything, including each of us, so when He says that He makes straight paths and removes the prison bars to set us free, it is to show us great and wondrous things hidden for so long - but now revealed in Christ!  So we are set free and eyes opened to know and give all credit to God. 

One True God - First and Last, No Other

Isaiah 44:6, 8, 18, 22  
6 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God.  8 Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it?  You are My witnesses.  Is there a God besides Me?  Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’”  18 They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand.  22 I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins.  Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

Because there is only one true God, The Lord and Redeemer, we would be foolish to not let Him open our blind eyes and our cold hearts to His love for us in Christ.  He took away our sins so completely so we can turn to Him forever.  This is knowing and understanding of the heart, mind, and soul.  He was the first and is the last; He also was the first to rise from death and has the last word as the one who will judge the living and the dead. 

Made to Praise our Creator

Isaiah 43:21 
This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise.  24-25...But you have burdened Me with your sins, You have wearied Me with your iniquities.  25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

Just as Israel, believers in Christ are made to praise God, to show Him great in our faith and obedience as we rely on Him and follow.  When we sin, it is grievous to God - but in Jesus we have forgiveness that is absolute!  So we must,

1 John 1:9 ...confess our sins, [because] He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

Witnesses that He Is, Our Savior

Isaiah 43:10-13 
“You are My witnesses,” says the Lord, “And My servant whom I have chosen, That you may know and believe Me, And understand that I am He.  Before Me there was no God formed, Nor shall there be after Me. 11 I, even I, am the Lord, And besides Me there is no savior.

13 Indeed before the day was, I am He; And there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?”

We are witnesses that there is one God, and He is our Savior.  Nobody can take us away from Him, not even ourselves.  He came as both man and God to be God-among-us, Emmanuel.  His name is Jesus the Christ.  If you know him as the one who saved you, your Lord and God as Thomas the disciple said, then you have absolute assurance that the change is eternal.  He never lets us go.  

Chosen Called, and Redeemed

Isaiah 43:1, 4, 7  
1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.  4 Since you were precious in My sight, You have been honored, And I have loved you; Therefore I will give men for you, And people for your life.  7 Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

God called me by name and redeemed me!  I am His, valuable and loved - so He will use me to bring others to Himself for His glory.  I am made in His image, and that is what He wants, so I can pray confidently that He will hear the prayer in His will for others.  All who are His are because He chose us, called us, and redeemed us - He bought us back from His wrath on our sin against Him by His own hand of His Son's sacrifice! 

The Blind and Deaf not all Forsaken

Isaiah 42:20 
"Seeing many things, but you do not observe; Opening the ears, but he does not hear.”   

Isaiah 42:16  I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known.  I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight.  These things I will do for them, And not forsake them.

Jesus told the Scribes and Pharisees that they were blind because they said they could see, because they refused to see God's way.  So they turned a deaf ear to what God in Christ told them.  But He brought light to the darkness of those who knew they were blind, leading them to the straight and true way in Jesus.  Humility and brokenness over their helpless state led to salvation and hope that never dies.  So we who admit our sin, turn from it to Him, and trust Jesus as the only way - we see, and live forever!  

Resurrection Day

Luke 24:44-48  
44 Then He said to them, “ These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” 45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.  46 Then He said to them, “ Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things.

This is Easter - Resurrection Day.  All the Bible said about the Savior to come was seen in Jesus Christ, as promised.  So God opens our minds to understand deep within to make the Bible come alive, just as He rose from the grave - life from death!  Because He suffered and died for your and my sin, we tell others to turn (repent) from sin to believe and follow Him.  This we bear witness to. He is risen...He is risen indeed! 

Released from Captivity, Called and Kept

Isaiah 42:5-7
Thus says God the Lord, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, And spirit to those who walk on it:  6 “I, the Lord, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, 7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house.

God who made the universe and us put life in each one and His Spirit in those He gives new life to.  So called as His People, we are to be that light to the rest of the world, setting them free from darkness imprisoned in sin.  The door out of prison and into light is Jesus Christ - there is no other way of sin's penalty out nor into this wonderful grace.  The proof is Jesus raising Himself from death to life after the cross.  

Elect One Brings Justice in Truth

Isaiah 42:1-4.  
1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My soul delights!  I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles.  2 He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, Nor cause His voice to be heard in the street.  3 A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.  4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, Till He has established justice in the earth; And the coastlands shall wait for His law.”

God sent His Son to bring justice in mercy, grace in truth and love - to the point of allowing us to nail Him to the cross to take away the just punishment for the sin a each one of us has in us.  He then took our sin on as His own to put it to death there, bringing hope of a new life to follow (the resurrection of Easter).  He endured all the hate of religious people set against Himself, all to bring forgiveness and life, to reconcile or make us right in standing with God as we were created to be in Eden.  Grace, mercy, and peace to us in Jesus Christ.  

The Lord's Sovereign Hand

Isaiah 41:20 
That they may see and know, And consider and understand together, That the hand of the Lord has done this, And the Holy One of Israel has created it.

God creates wondrous things on earth and in the universe, put on display for all to see and consider that He has done all things.  He wants us to understand this clear reality instead of reasoning Him away as Creator, substituting dead, meaningless chance.  Seeing, understanding, and agreeing God is who He says and demonstrates in existence around us and taking His word as the source is faith.  Seeing and believing in His Son is faith that then changes us to see so much more.  

Predestined and Secure in Sovereign Grace

Isaiah 41:4, 10
"Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning?  ‘I, the Lord, am the first; And with the last I am He.'”   10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'  13 For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘ Fear not, I will help you. ’

God is sovereign; nothing is out of His control.  Here is His predestined grace which holds us securely in His hand.  He always was and is.  So why fear or give up, when He tells us to not fear and that He will give the strength we need?  He takes us by the hand to lead us, to protect and comfort, and assure us He will help, over and over.  This is grace.  

Have You Not Heard and Known?

Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary.  His understanding is unsearchable.  29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength.  30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall,  31 But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

God is not like us; He never is tired or wants to give up.  Armed with that truth, I look at myself in Christ who gives me His strength and wonder why I give up.  He gives strength to persevere, to endure, and allows me to run the race with Him beside me... Let me then choose to soar with Jesus Christ in all the trials and tribulations that weary me.  

Who is Like Our God?

Isaiah 40:25-26 
“To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.  26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.

God is not like anything we would make or like Him to be.  He is so much more!  The Creator of the universe, from the largest galaxy down to the spinning pieces of atoms, holds all together by His word, His Son.  The greatness of His power allows each star in the heavens and each person on earth to be personally known by Him - everyone matters.  He is not a God far off, but near.  Who is like our God? 

The World has Gone After Him!

John 12:17-19 
Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”

Because people heard and saw Jesus raise the dead man Lazarus, that hope of the resurrection for all in Christ made them go after Him.  If the whole world saw Who He is and all He did from miraculous birth to bringing wholeness of healed body and soul to life after death, they would also join the "whole world" in going after Him.  But blindness, self serving and pride keep most it the grave till judgment.  

One Way from the Beginning

Isaiah 40:18, 21
To whom then will you liken God? Or what likeness will you compare to Him?  21 Have you not known?  Have you not heard?  Has it not been told you from the beginning?  Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

Isaiah 40:25-26  “To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?” says the Holy One.  26 Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing.

God is the only one; many claim to be divine, but only Jesus did what God alone can do, giving blind sight, lame the ability to walk, deaf to hear - even dying and taking His own life back up again. Buddha is still dead.  Muhammad is dead.  Many others have claims, only God shows Himself as proof.  So let us honor Him for who He is, not substituting anyone or anything for Him.  

Behold, the Good News!

Isaiah 40:9-10 
O Zion, You who bring good tidings, Get up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, You who bring good tidings, Lift up your voice with strength, Lift it up, be not afraid; Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”  10 Behold, the Lord God shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him.

... Isaiah 52:7.   How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

The greatest beauty is the good news told simply and confidently out loud, for we need to tell all who will hear, "here is your God in the person and work of Jesus Christ, and His reward for turning from sin to Him in believing Him is life unending!"  He reigns as Lord and King, the sovereign God of all, visible and invisible, and must be shown to the world.  

God's Eternal Word of the Gospel

Isaiah 40:5-8
The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”  6 The voice said, “ Cry out!” And he said, “ What shall I cry?” “All flesh is grass, And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.  7 The grass withers, the flower fades, Because the breath of the Lord blows upon it; Surely the people are grass.  8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

1 Peter 1:23-25.  having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24 because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.  The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.

God's word shows us how glorious He is and how easily we wither away by the breath that made us, for we are both mortal and sinful.  Yet the good news in Christ is the word given to give us a new birth, breathing unending life into those who so believe and receive Jesus Christ!  

Speak Comfort of Salvation to God's People

Isaiah 40:1-5 
1 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” Says your God.  2 “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord's hand Double for all her sins.”  3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert A highway for our God.  5 The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

We have all sinned, falling short of God's perfect standard of righteousness.  The price we have paid in this life and into forever was too great, so God made a way - Jesus Christ is that way in the wilderness of sin we are all lost in.  This is what we were told long ago that we would see God's glory in Jesus when He came, and why this comforting Good News was given in advance.  We are therefore to speak comfort of salvation to God's people. 

Live by the Word of God

1 John 2:16 

For all that is in the world —the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — is not of the Father but is of the world.

Genesis 3:6.  So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.

...1. Good for food - lust of the flesh

...2. Pleasant to the eyes - lust of the eyes

...3. Desirable to make one wise - pride of life (I know it, all)

1 John 2:17.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Prov.22:4  By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.

.....Doing God's will in humility and fear lasts forever and brings:

1. Riches (flesh's true riches are only found in doing His will)

2. Honor (eyes pleasing God do and gain what honors only Him)

3. Life  (flesh's knowledge in Christ exalts The Lord and not self in pride) 

Care about the Consequences

Isaiah 39:6-8 
‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,' says the Lord. 7 ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.'"  8 So Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord which you have spoken is good!” For he said, “At least there will be peace and truth in my days.”

Hezekiah bragged on wealth and did not consider the consequences for others.  Instead, he was only glad that he would not be carried off nor see the riches go either.  He was content to say God was good and right because it did not affect him.  We who know Christ must instead know His merciful and grace-driven love, doing no harm to others (Rom.13:10).  True peace and truth is in Christ, following and imitating Him.   We must care about the consequences for others, not just for ourselves. 

The Living Praise God for Deliverance

Isaiah 38:17-19
Indeed it was for my own peace That I had great bitterness; But You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.  18 For Sheol cannot thank You, Death cannot praise You; Those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. 19 The living, the living man, he shall praise You, As I do this day; The father shall make known Your truth to the children.

God delivers from sin and its due reward of death, taking away sin and putting it behind us - not because we are doing enough good, but only because He is good, merciful, and gracious.  So should those bought back by Jesus Christ tell God and others how thankful we are and how great He is!  Because we have life in the God who is not dead but is life itself, so we need to pass this on.  

Roots Downward and Fruit Upward

Isaiah 37:31 
And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah Shall again take root downward, And bear fruit upward.

Just as God showed fruitfulness for those of Judah He delivered (saved) from their enemies, so He intends us as reborn creations to take root in Christ to grow in fruitful faith as we walk with Him.  We put roots down into Christ and His word to bear fruit by His Spirit up to God! 

Ephesians 3:17.  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

Colossians 2:7.  rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. 

O Lord, Hear and See!

Isaiah 37:16-17 
“O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, the One who dwells between the cherubim, You are God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Incline Your ear, O Lord, and hear; open Your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God.

When we are attacked or faced with an impossible situation, do we go immediately before God with praise - and then ask for His name to be honored.  Or do we only seek our own well-being?  The examples in Scripture continually point to God and not to us. 

Highway Out of Hell

Isaiah 35:8-10 
A highway shall be there, and a road, And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, Shall not go astray. 9 No lion shall be there, Nor shall any ravenous beast go up on it; It shall not be found there. But the redeemed shall walk there, 10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, And sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

God calls us to be holy as He is - but this is only possible if He lives in us.  We choose to do right, but without His Spirit strengthening us, it cannot go far.  Even though we are as fools to the world, yet we walk this road, redeemed and ransomed from our helpless state of sin.  So we sing for joy forever as the final tear and sadness fall away in His presence to come! 

O Deaf and Blind, Why Be Fearful?

Isaiah 35:3-5 
Strengthen the weak hands, And make firm the feeble knees.  4 Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear!  Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”  5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.

When hope seems lost, God calls us to stand without wavering and hold tight to Him.  We need to remember that His justice will be served in the end, and has been our acquittal.  Christ has paid our just payment for sin, giving us sight and the ability to hear God from within as His Spirit speaks to ours.  So why be fearful-hearted? 

Why John Wrote to Us

1 John 2:12-14

-- 12 I write to you, little children, Because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake.

-- 13 I write to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

-- I write to you, young men, Because you have overcome the wicked one.

-- I write to you, little children, Because you have known the Father.

-- 14 I have written to you, fathers, Because you have known Him who is from the beginning.

-- I have written to you, young men, Because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, And you have overcome the wicked one.

12 - As spiritual babes, we need to know we are forgiven because of Jesus (security)

13 - Those who are mature in faith need to remember the One we know

13 - Young men, growing in Christ, must see the victory in following Christ by faith [1Cor.15:57]

13 - Babes in Christ need to also dwell on Who they know (relationship with God in Christ)

14 - Those mature in faith need to continue to treasure knowing Him  (don't give up, get cold)

14 - Young growing men in Christ must find continued strength in Christ, know what He says, and where they stand as victorious in Jesus! 

God's Word is Absolute and Certain

Isaiah 34:16  
Search from the book of the Lord, and read: Not one of these shall fail; Not one shall lack her mate. For My mouth has commanded it, and His Spirit has gathered them.

Matthew 5:18

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Everything God put to page will happen as He said, just as all things up to this point in time.  What God commands by word by His Spirit and will shall come to pass.  Jesus reminded us of this to show all will be fulfilled on God's schedule.  His word is absolute and certain because He is sovereign. 

Heavens Rolled Up and Earth Dissolved

Isaiah 34:4 
All the host of heaven shall be dissolved, And the heavens shall be rolled up like a scroll; All their host shall fall down As the leaf falls from the vine, And as fruit falling from a fig tree.

.....Revelation 6:13-14.  And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. 14 Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.

....Matthew 24:29-30.  Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

There will be and end to this broken and sinful world, but those who have hope in Jesus Christ will be relieved; those who do not need hope now before their denials and rejection consummate in seeing these things come down on them.  All will be made new for the coming Kingdom of God and His Christ! 

See God's Beauty Into Eternity

Isaiah 33:17 
Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; They will see the land that is very far off.

The verses before this one speak of those seeking God by doing what is right to Him - they seek by pleasing.  But this does not earn them the way only Christ can provide; yet by trying to do what is right in the seeking, they come to the cross where they can see Him in His beauty, as well as the eternal land with Him before their new eyes.  This is the hope of glory in the face of Jesus Christ.  

Acknowledge What God has Done in His Power

Isaiah 33:10-13 
10 “Now I will rise,” says the Lord; “Now I will be exalted, Now I will lift Myself up.   13 Hear, you who are afar off, what I have done; And you who are near, acknowledge My might.”

God must be seen and talked about as the greatest, the highest, and most honored and desired.  This is because He alone is God - look at all He has done and continues to do!  We who know Him, who have been drawn close to approach by Jesus Christ must absolutely acknowledge His power and majesty.  What else could we possibly do?  

Wisdom and Knowledge - Stability and Strength

Isaiah 33:5-6 
The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.  6 Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.

God brings true justice where our sin brings unfair corruption; He brings righteousness where our sin leaves twisted ruins.  Knowing what He has done and who He with understanding gives us strength in this broken world where people blame God for allowing the consequences we bring on ourselves.  Fearing Him, we have great treasure both now and in heaven.  This is why we study to show ourselves approved to God, aiming to know His word intimately and thoroughly that we might live it out in wisdom and fear of our Lord. 

God's Spirit Works Righteousness and Peace

Isaiah 32:15-17 
Until the Spirit is poured upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fruitful field, And the fruitful field is counted as a forest.  16 Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness remain in the fruitful field.  17 The work of righteousness will be peace, And the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever.

When God came to dwell in man at Pentecost, righteousness began to be possible.  For without a new creation, a new birth, it was not possible to be fruitful for Him.  Without God Himself living in us, we could never know His justice, peace, or assurance.  Praise be to God the Father who did all this by His Son so He could reside in us as Spirit!  

Rely on God's Strength Alone by Faith

Isaiah 31:1  
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, And rely on horses, Who trust in chariots because they are many, And in horsemen because they are very strong, But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, Nor seek the Lord!

Many rely on their own or their allies' and friend's strength or power to overcome enemies and find deliverance from them.  True deliverance (the word salvation) comes only through a single way and truth - this real life and victory is only through Jesus Christ.  All others will fail in the end.  Do we live in that certain victory of faith?

1 Corinthians 15:57   But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Chronicles 29:11   Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, And You are exalted as head over all.