I AM IN THE BATTLE FOR YOUR SOUL Isaiah 37 may have been written thousand of years ago, but this chapter about a prophet and a king deeply stirs places in my heart this day, this moment. In verse 1, King Hezekiah hears the threatening report and goes into the sanctuary of his God. He sends his administrators to the prophet to ask for prayer. Prophet Isaiah responds with God's Message: "I personally will take care of your enemy." Isaiah was in the battle for Hezekiah's soul. Am I in the battle for my children's souls, my friends' souls? A letter arrives in verse 14 Hezekiah took the letter from the hands of the messengers and read it. Then he went into the sanctuary of God and spread the letter out before God. This verse means much to me. I have thought about it hundreds of times in my life. God marked these words. In verse 26, God said: "Haven'you gotten the news that I've been behind this all along? This is a longstanding plan of mine. Can I see that what happens in my life is always God's Plan A? How I love the ending in verse 35 "I've got My Hand on this city. I've got My Hand on your life! And the next verse is the verdict...The Angel of God arrived and struck the Assyrian camp— 185,000 Assyrians died. Then Sennacharib was murdered by his own sons. Unbelievable.
IT IS GOOD FOR ME TO BE AFFLICTED
In Isaiah 38, God said: You're going to die. You're not going to get well." Hezekiah turned to God: Please, I beg you. Hezekiah wept as he prayed---painful tears. Remember me. God said through the prophet: "I've heard your prayer. I've seen your tears. I'll add 15 years to your life. I have My Hand on this city." Whatever time I have left, it seems it was good for me to go through all those troubles. Throughout them all you held tight to my lifeline. You never let me tumble over the edge into nothing. But my sins you let go of,
threw them over your shoulder—good riddance!
GOD WILL LIFT UP OUR VALLEYS AND LOWER OUR MOUNTAINS
Isaiah 40: 3 -5 Another verse that has meant so much to me: Thunder in the desert. Prepare for God's arrival. God will make the way straight and smooth. God will fill in the valleys, level off the hills, smooth out the ruts, clear out the rocks. Then God's bright glory will shine and everyone will see it. Here is a promise that our God will lift up our valleys and lower our mountains so that life will be straight and smooth for us? No. He will do this that we may know His Bright Glory. Like a Shepherd, He will care for us, gather us in His arms, carry us close, and lead us to a good place....Young folk in their prime, stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, They run and don't get tired, they walk and don't lag behind.
DON'T PANIC; I HAVE A FIRM GRIP ON YOU
Isaiah 41:12 Sit down and rest, everyone. Recover your strength. Gather around me. Say what's on your heart. You, Israel, are my servant, serving on my side. I've picked you. Don't panic. I'm with you. There's no need to fear for I'm your God. I'll give you strength. I'll help you. I'll hold you steady, keeping a firm grip on you. Again, I have a firm grip on you and I'm not letting go. I'm telling you, 'Don't panic.' I'm right here to help you.
God doesn't come and go. God lasts.
ReplyDeleteHe's Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn't get tired out, doesn't pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
My younger sister just called me a little while ago actually at 5:00 in the morning. She was wide awake and didn't sound the least bit tired. She had been up all night with my other sister who is a new Grandmother, because her baby girl just had a little boy a little over an hour ago. Even when we are sleeping, God is wide awake, doing great big things! It's so exciting, especially because I remember the day my niece was born like it was yesterday!
Have a great day, friends!
Angie, such sweet passages of life that you share with your sisters. Congratulations on being a great aunt! My gosh, when did all this time fly? Maybe God could turn the sundial back a little bit for us, too!
ReplyDelete'Nise, praying for you this morning. I miss you around Pearls.
Lessons in faith, Hezekiah’s Prayer (vv15-20) (Turn to the One who can do something about it.) Then Hezekiah prayed to God: "God-of-the-Angel-Armies, enthroned over the cherubim-angels,(Call Him by Name) you are God, the only God there is, God of all kingdoms on earth. You made heaven and earth. Listen, O God, and hear. Look, O God, and see. Mark all these words of Sennacherib that he sent to mock the living God. (Tell it like it is, then leave it up to God.)It's quite true, O God, that the kings of Assyria have devastated all the nations and their lands. They've thrown their gods into the trash and burned them—no great achievement since they were no-gods anyway, gods made in workshops, carved from wood and chiseled from rock. An end to the no-gods! (Ask!) But now step in, O God, our God. Save us from him. (Worship Him alone.) Let all the kingdoms of earth know that you and you alone are God."
There is none like our God. So—who is like me? Who holds a candle to me?" says The Holy. Look at the night skies: Who do you think made all this? Who marches this army of stars out each night, counts them off, calls each by name —so magnificent! so powerful!— and never overlooks a single one?
Our beautiful God has met me in the nightime of my soul in the past two days. Too long to go into, but suffice it to say, I believe He met me and answered my question and my turmoil. Praise His holy Name...when we seek Him we will find Him. Still have one or more unanswered questions, but I do know that He is in the battle for my soul and that His plan A is so much better than anything I could ever come up with my feeble human brain. Blessings on all of you today...praying for your rest, sweet Bev. Congratulations sweet Angie on being a great-aunt..and you will be a great one too...love all of you.
ReplyDeleteMary Lou, even in your struggle, you testify such great wonder of God. I'm praying for you right now--your heart, your answer, your beautiful Plan A with the Savior. Bless you, dear friend. Love, A
ReplyDeleteLarry Crabb says: "Keep three words in mind as you read Isaiah: judgement, comfort, and hope." (pg. 118 66LL)
ReplyDeleteHow refreshing to get to the comfort of chapter 40.
I read this in The Message, but had to go to my NKJV for this chapter. It's so beautiful in this translation. Hope you don't mind.
"O Zion, you who bring good tidings, get up into the high mountains; 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!" Isaiah 40:9
It goes on to say in verses 10 and 11 that God will come and rule with a strong hand...He will feed, gather and gently carry His lambs.
Oh, I want to "BEHOLD" Him today...both in His majestic power and in His tender mercy and lovingkindness! A Strong Hand will judge, conquer and bring deliverance. Gentle Arms will embrace and guide us in the right direction. He is the Lion of Judah and the Lamb of God! Praise Him!
Mary Lou, you are so NOT like the women Isaiah speaks of in 31:9-11. I sense that you ARE "weeping and grieving until the Spirit is poured down..." I will join you. And I will pray for Him to carry you.
A friend of mine said she'd like to shout to everyone: "It's GOOD NEWS PEOPLE!" She was in tears when she said it. Another friend said to me: "God wants us holy, not happy." She hasn't read 66LL either. She's just a woman who beholds her God and points me to Him.
I want to be on this journey with women like that, and women like you.
Rejoicing with Angie today on becoming a great-aunt.
"Behold your God" today.
Hugs and blessings!
FG
It truly is amazing to me that though I've walked a good many years for the Lord and I'm finally getting it, that He wants me to be Holy and NOT happy. Being made holy brings about joy which is far deeper than the happiness we experience here on earth. Bless all of you for your prayers.
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