Isaiah 40- Nancy Leigh DeMoss "Revive Tour" Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA 2013
Lord, what a privilege to be able to attend this conference, and free of charge!
The book of Isaiah has 66 chapters- just like the Bible has 66 books. The first 39 chapters are lie unto the Old Testament 39 books. They are chapters of warning and judgment. Then in chapter 40, the tone changes to comfort, joy, and the Messianic prophesies - just like the New Testament!
v.1) Comfort Ye my people. We were as lost and sinful as the Israelites! In our world today, we really need comfort! Bombings, shootings, recession, joblessness, divorce at an all time high, abortion rate and abuse rates at all time highs, wars and rumors of wars abound! If I pick up the news paper, I see scandals galore at every level. Wow! We really need Your comfort, Lord!
v2) Speak gently to Jerusalem. Even though Israel had disregarded God and had run after other gods, yet He still loved them...and us!
Her hard service is done and her sin has been atoned in full and sufficient payment. Isaiah is speaking of the judgment she had been under for her sin of adultery against her husband, God. He had chastened her because He loved her and wanted her to return to Him. the Babylonian captivity had not happened yet, but God is seeing past that time in chapter 40.
v.3) A voice crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the dessert a highway for our God. This makes me think of John the Baptist. Nancy said that in the ancient days, there were no roads as we know them...and I can understand that. She said that when a king would be coming to a certain area, messengers would be sent out before hand to alert everyone. Crews were sent out to clear a road for the approaching king. There might be trees, brush, boulders etc. in the way.
For us, we know that King Jesus is coming, and we are to build a Highway of Holiness for His return. Verses 4-5 talk about how that is to be accomplished. It is also a prescription for us in how we are to perfect our personal "highway".
4) Every valley is to be lifted up, every mountain and hill made low; the crooked places straight; the rough places plain:
So what does that mean to me, Lord?
Valleys- low places lifted up:
Some low places can be: unfulfilled promises to the Lord, spiritual laziness, frittering away my life on inconsequential things, wanting to be more connected to people on a shallow level than with You on a very deep level.
To lift them up, I need to pray, fast, obtain Biblical Literacy, confess and make things right...maybe make restitution.
Mountains and hills made low:
What stands between other believers, God, and me? This can be outright sin, addictive behavior, and pride! So full of ME there is no room for anything else. Maybe it is the list of wrongs I may be keeping that grows that nasty tree of bitterness with roots that go down the China that keeps me from You: rehearsing, "I did not deserve to be treated that way!" Or maybe it is self pity, or even worse, self righteousness! "I would never do that, say that, feel that way, or be that way!" Lord, blow that mountain all to pieces!
Crooked places straight/ rough places straight:
This means uneven ground, little knolls I can trip on, etc. It can be deceit, crooked ways of thinking (more like the world, less like Christ), hypocrisy- dishonesty with God and other Christians, as well as with myself. Do I love my "stuff": sports, movies, celebrities, TV, media (again) more than I love and serve God? What and who gets the most time? Obviously I can't live in a monastery and do nothing all day but pray and read the Word. But in my non-work times...how do I spend it?
Rugged places plain:
These are the distractions of life. What are my priorities? This reminded me of trying to pray in the car in quiet on the way to work...didn't happen! I was already thinking about things I had to do at work and when I got home. Business can be an awful distraction. Even at His busiest during His ministry here on earth, Jesus took time away in quiet to commune with the Father. In our day, we don't like quiet! We have to have some kind of noise going on. I found the only way I could concentrate on God in the car was to play quiet praise music!
This reminded me of when someone calls me on the phone...they call ME, I do not call them. While we are talking, they are looking at the computer, answering another call, talking with another friend, watching TV or something on the internet, ordering food at a drive through, or paying for something at the store and it seems as though they totally forget that I am on the phone at their request.
That is how You must feel, Lord. I come to you in prayer and all of a sudden my mind is everywhere but with You. Lord, forgive me and help me! Help me to re-arrange my priorities!
And what happens when these things are accomplished and my Highway of Holiness is finished?
Verse 5 "Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The LORD has spoken!"
Precious Lord and Savior of my wretched soul! I talk about how I want to see Your glory revealed in this rotten, depraved, sinful world I live in...but am I building the Highway of Holiness? Is mine a voice, "crying out in the wilderness", or am I just a complainer wanting my life to be more comfortable and better for my own comfort and well-being?
Oh, Lord, may it never be! Make me aware of my sins that I may confess and repent! Remind me O Lord, that You deserve more than that!
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013
God Saves Gentiles Too!
Romans 1:6 "And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ."
Most gracious and merciful Lord,
I praise You today for who You are. No other god would stoop down to his creation to save them out of their miserable state of lostness and death, sacrifice himself to pay for their sins, and allow them to live with them in his abode forever because he loved them that much. You came to serve Your creation, not to be served with unwilling slaves to gain Your favor!
You chose the Jews first, BUT then You adopted us Gentiles too and allowed us to become part of Your Family! I am just really starting to understand how wonderful my salvation really is. I could have been left out; lost forever without hope of redemption because I was not born into the right lineage! Oh, Lord-THANK YOU! How can I ever praise You enough for that? It will take all of eternity!
Most gracious and merciful Lord,
I praise You today for who You are. No other god would stoop down to his creation to save them out of their miserable state of lostness and death, sacrifice himself to pay for their sins, and allow them to live with them in his abode forever because he loved them that much. You came to serve Your creation, not to be served with unwilling slaves to gain Your favor!
You chose the Jews first, BUT then You adopted us Gentiles too and allowed us to become part of Your Family! I am just really starting to understand how wonderful my salvation really is. I could have been left out; lost forever without hope of redemption because I was not born into the right lineage! Oh, Lord-THANK YOU! How can I ever praise You enough for that? It will take all of eternity!
Friday, June 7, 2013
Good News- He is Jesus Christ our Lord
Romans 1:2-4
"God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David's family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord."
Lord,God of all creation, eternal One.
Lord, I deal with people all the time, and have been one myself, that say when confronted with a law they have broken, a deadline they have missed, or something about the instructions on how to operate or care for their appliances or machinery: "No one told me", "How was I supposed to know that?", or"You're kidding, right? You couldn't have given me that information. I never saw it!".
Well, Lord, no one can say that about the fact that You ARE the Good News. You told the world back in the Garden, You saved Noah, gave the covenant with Abraham and David, You were proclaimed by angels at your birth,and by the Father Himself twice wile You ministered on earth, as well as called Messiah by John the Baptist, and then showed it when You were risen from the dead! The Word says that ALL creation speaks of You so there is none that have an excuse.
And yet, there are those, like I was, that heard it, even memorized scripture that said it, but in blindness and deafness ignored the meaning of it. I then had the gall to ask why my ministers in my church never "told me" I had to make a decision one way or the other as to whether I would actually believe and act on what I had been taught!
Lord, precious Savior! You ARE indeed the Good News! Help me to help others understand that too!
"God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David's family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord."
Lord,God of all creation, eternal One.
Lord, I deal with people all the time, and have been one myself, that say when confronted with a law they have broken, a deadline they have missed, or something about the instructions on how to operate or care for their appliances or machinery: "No one told me", "How was I supposed to know that?", or"You're kidding, right? You couldn't have given me that information. I never saw it!".
Well, Lord, no one can say that about the fact that You ARE the Good News. You told the world back in the Garden, You saved Noah, gave the covenant with Abraham and David, You were proclaimed by angels at your birth,and by the Father Himself twice wile You ministered on earth, as well as called Messiah by John the Baptist, and then showed it when You were risen from the dead! The Word says that ALL creation speaks of You so there is none that have an excuse.
And yet, there are those, like I was, that heard it, even memorized scripture that said it, but in blindness and deafness ignored the meaning of it. I then had the gall to ask why my ministers in my church never "told me" I had to make a decision one way or the other as to whether I would actually believe and act on what I had been taught!
Lord, precious Savior! You ARE indeed the Good News! Help me to help others understand that too!
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Me- a Slave?
Romans 1:1 "This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News-" NLT
Yes, Lord, it is time You and I went through this book Paul wrote as the times demand it. Lord, I am, as a Christ Follower, a slave of Yours too, and am also set apart and sent out to share the Gospel. That is my primary job. However; unlike a slave in reality; I can choose each day to serve You and others and to share the Gospel, or serve myself. There are two different types of slaves: those who are bought and sold and have no "rights", and those who choose to place themselves under bondage to another to serve and to be provided for by the Master. The funny thing about me is that I am both.
You bought me "Redeemed" me out of the slave market of sin. Therefore I have no rights because You own me. You did not use the mammon of this world to purchase my soul...You gave Your own life's blood!
However; because our Your great love and grace, You gave me the choice to become a bond slave or not.
I am So very glad that You are my Master. You are loving, kind, provide more than my needs daily, listen to me, answer my prayers, and treat me as a precious child not simply a slave. In fact, You have adopted me into Your family .
It's kind of funny as to how You dovetail things together. I had not thought of the book of Romans until this morning when You impressed it upon me. I just read our pastor's email to us. Yes. it was about slavery.
"I was reading the other day about the difference in how African-American pastors and white pastors pray. It said that because of slavery when an African-American pastor prays his first words are usually about gratitude to be alive, for God waking him up that day. The writer went on to point out that those words or thoughts are not the first thing you'll hear white pastors praying.
As I thought about that discovery I had to ask myself, what is the first thing I voice in prayer each day. Am I grateful to be alive or is the first thing on my heart a need that I want met or a request for God to act?
Fact is when we wake up each day it is a new day God has given to us to live and to honor Him. You see slaves never knew what tomorrow held so they lived in the present. My friend when you approach the Father why not thank Him for today and decide that no matter what your circumstances you will live for Him and enjoy the day that He has given you. Remember, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it", (even if we are not sure of tomorrow)."
Heavenly Father, help me to live out my life of bond slavery to You so as to glorify You in all things.
Yes, Lord, it is time You and I went through this book Paul wrote as the times demand it. Lord, I am, as a Christ Follower, a slave of Yours too, and am also set apart and sent out to share the Gospel. That is my primary job. However; unlike a slave in reality; I can choose each day to serve You and others and to share the Gospel, or serve myself. There are two different types of slaves: those who are bought and sold and have no "rights", and those who choose to place themselves under bondage to another to serve and to be provided for by the Master. The funny thing about me is that I am both.
You bought me "Redeemed" me out of the slave market of sin. Therefore I have no rights because You own me. You did not use the mammon of this world to purchase my soul...You gave Your own life's blood!
However; because our Your great love and grace, You gave me the choice to become a bond slave or not.
I am So very glad that You are my Master. You are loving, kind, provide more than my needs daily, listen to me, answer my prayers, and treat me as a precious child not simply a slave. In fact, You have adopted me into Your family .
It's kind of funny as to how You dovetail things together. I had not thought of the book of Romans until this morning when You impressed it upon me. I just read our pastor's email to us. Yes. it was about slavery.
"I was reading the other day about the difference in how African-American pastors and white pastors pray. It said that because of slavery when an African-American pastor prays his first words are usually about gratitude to be alive, for God waking him up that day. The writer went on to point out that those words or thoughts are not the first thing you'll hear white pastors praying.
As I thought about that discovery I had to ask myself, what is the first thing I voice in prayer each day. Am I grateful to be alive or is the first thing on my heart a need that I want met or a request for God to act?
Fact is when we wake up each day it is a new day God has given to us to live and to honor Him. You see slaves never knew what tomorrow held so they lived in the present. My friend when you approach the Father why not thank Him for today and decide that no matter what your circumstances you will live for Him and enjoy the day that He has given you. Remember, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it", (even if we are not sure of tomorrow)."
Heavenly Father, help me to live out my life of bond slavery to You so as to glorify You in all things.
Monday, June 3, 2013
Proverbs to Live By
Lord, you have given so many clues to us as to how we are to live our lives for the very best God's Purpose outcome:
Proverbs 11
Honesty and Riches:
Honesty guides good people. Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Riches won't help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.The godly are directed by honesty. The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them. The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead. Knowledge will rescue the righteous. Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity. People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring. If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?
Good Justice:
The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die. (Boston 2013)
After terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon this spring, the whole city, state, and country rejoiced when the living suspect was found and captured.
What we speak:
Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart. It is foolish to belittle one's neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.
Guide for Women:
A gracious woman gains respect, a beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.
Heavenly Father, please help me to live out Your purpose in my life!
Proverbs 11
Honesty and Riches:
Honesty guides good people. Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Riches won't help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.The godly are directed by honesty. The godliness of good people rescues them; the ambition of treacherous people traps them. The godly are rescued from trouble, and it falls on the wicked instead. Knowledge will rescue the righteous. Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The LORD detests people with crooked hearts, but he delights in those with integrity. People curse those who hoard their grain, but they bless the one who sells in time of need. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Trust in your money and down you go! But the godly flourish like leaves in spring. If the righteous are rewarded here on earth, what will happen to wicked sinners?
Good Justice:
The whole city celebrates when the godly succeed; they shout for joy when the wicked die. (Boston 2013)
After terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon this spring, the whole city, state, and country rejoiced when the living suspect was found and captured.
| The godly can look forward to a reward, while the wicked can expect only judgment. |
What we speak:
Upright citizens are good for a city and make it prosper, but the talk of the wicked tears it apart. It is foolish to belittle one's neighbor; a sensible person keeps quiet. A gossip goes around telling secrets, but those who are trustworthy can keep a confidence. Without wise leadership, a nation falls; there is safety in having many advisers. Those who bring trouble on their families inherit the wind. The seeds of good deeds become a tree of life; a wise person wins friends.
Guide for Women:
A gracious woman gains respect, a beautiful woman who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout.
Heavenly Father, please help me to live out Your purpose in my life!
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