Category: Devotions

It is not pointless!

Isaiah 38

Hezekiah was part of the Bible heroes who believed that it all turns out for the best in the end. People like Joseph who in Genesis 50:20 said to his brothers “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is being done.”
We live in a world where it is easier to be negative and doom-saying than positive and hopeful.
Last week I witnessed some bizarre behaviour. Walking along the bank of the river Ganges in Varanasi, India I saw a group of people having their early morning stroll laughing. But this was forced almost canned laughter. I asked the man with me what was happening and he told me it had nothing to do with the emotion of joy but that of healthy diaphragm use. What a waste of laughter!
The world needs real joy, real laughter, they need to hear a positive message. This is where the Christian steps in.
Life is tough. It is going to hurt at times. We have an enemy. But we do not go under in the storm. We do not have to pretend or force ourselves to look like we are positive.
We are in the hands of God and even though the day could be traumatic we can say with Hezekiah, “Surely it was for my benefit that I suffered such anguish”, v17

Isaiah 37

Dear Lord

Your heard our enemy yesterday.
I am at the brink. I am facing reality.
But my despair will not take me from you but draw me to you.
Today I seek you for a word, I need the prophetic voice of your Spirit.
Before I call you answer me and I hear you now telling me not to be afraid.
The enemy that opposes me by trying to deceive me is your enemy.
The enemy has plans for my life but you have plans for his.
I receive your word.
So I cast all my care upon you.
Here it all is on this piece of paper, I lay it before you. Here are the charges against me.
My eyes are on You Lord of all.
There is one God and it is You.
You created all things and by You they are created.
All I can do and the best I can do is pray.
You speak not only to me but you also declare over the enemy of my life:
“Whom do you come against? Not my child. It is Me, the Holy One!”
“You are only a pawn in my hand!”
“I will defend what you oppose for My own sake!”
Thank you my Lord.
I deserve judgment but because of Jesus I receive your blessing.
In the end I will remain, the enemy will not.
Thank you God

Your grateful child

Isaiah 36

Dear child

On what are you basing your confidence upon?
You have looked to ‘Egypt’ to man, but man will disappoint you.
You may as well give up for man is broken incapable of being relied upon.
What despair and discouragement your sin brings you.
Is it truly God you put your trust in? Really?
There was a time when you would worship Him wherever you were but now all there is in your life are church services. (Note: Hezekiah removed the high places that our spiritual fathers had in place of the sacrificial altar in Jerusalem, moving individualistic to the corporate, this was the right thing to do but easy to oppose).
You may as well give up, are you not tired of all this?
I hate fighting otherwise I would fight you, I like talking though, so listen to me.
There’s nothing I cannot give you, but you need to first give up.
You see, your God is my god, He is with me, believe me. (Note: the ultimate deception)
And God says “Give up before it’s too late!”
I am not only speaking to you but to everyone that is connected to you.
For their sake change course, change allegiance, choose me.
It is only going to get worse.
In fact I am speaking to them now so that they will agree when you make peace with me.
Make peace with me and I will make you and all your contacts rich.
The truth is though you have your God, He is just one of many.
Look at all the people in the world with the many gods that they have.
You are the same as them.
Are you listening to me?
Why are you silent?
What must I think of your stillness?
Can you not even argue against me?
I am waiting …

Yours deceitfully

Your enemy

Isaiah 35

Christmas is a season of joy.
But not for everyone. For some it is a time to get through as quick as possible because of their memories. Or maybe the days are the just the same misery as the rest of the year.
How do people move from sadness to gladness? v1
Or how do people move from winter to springtime? V2
Can those who are weak become strong? V3
Can creation be renewed? V7
How do people walk a journey free from the destruction of the enemy? v8-9
Can people learn to sing again? V10
Can sorrow truly leave in place of true joy? V10
Yes!
When Jesus came he opened blind eyes and unstopped deaf ears, 2 major signs He was the prophesied Messiah.
Whenever Jesus comes Joy is present.
When He comes again His people will have everlasting joy!

Isaiah 34

Many believe this chapter is fore-telling a great tribulation to come. Of course for so many of the Church world-wide it will feel like they are in it already because of the conditions they are experiencing.
What encourages me here is that Isaiah was so sure that what He was saying was from God.
He understood that his words were the words of God.
His words would not fail.
This is true of the whole Bible.
What you are holding is the words of God that will not fail.
Not all the words are nice and cheery, like today for example, but they are true.
No one wants to think of a God of judgment. Well, not in the western world anyway. But for those today who are living with injustices, violence, persecutions, oppressive regimes and facing death every day because of their faith, God’s coming judgment is a good thing, something to be welcomed.
We can be sure of this, for the Bible will not fail.

Isaiah 33

Sometimes it is the best thing to lay low.
Though everyone wants you to rise with power, victory and miracles
Sometimes we cannot do what people demand.
We lie low.
Once valiant now a cry.
Once peacemakers with man now disturbed.
But if this is you then wait. God says …
Now. Now because you have last laid low … I will arise!
You will see new revelation of His Kingship.
The blessing of material things will be His defence, His refuge and his provision of bread and water for your life.
But the true blessing will be you will see the glory of the King.
Your heart will meditate on terror and Zechariah helps in 12:10 when he says the glory of the King.
When we have this heavenly revelation we will be captivated by his beauty and that beauty will be the day He was laid low for us all.
Sometimes it is the best thing to be laid low.

Isaiah 32

The prophecy of this and the next chapter could have been given for and during the reign of Hezekiah. But ultimately it spoke through his reign and that of Josiah who was also a righteous king, to that of the King of Kings, Jesus.

Jesus reigns in righteousness, He is righteous, v1
However those who come after Him, the Christians, the ‘rulers’ that make known His righteousness, v1
It is we who are tasked with:
Being a shelter for those caught in a storm of life or water for the thirsty, shade for the weary, v2
Bringing a spiritual renewal to people where the blind see and the deaf hear, v3
Revealing the truth of the Bible with understanding, v4
Revealing the truth and exposing the deception of actions, v5-6
Revealing wickedness and righteousness and not letting them converge into one, v7-8
Get people ready to receive the King, v9
Renewed focus and energy on prayer, v13
Being the receivers and facilitators of the Spirits coming, v15
Pursue fruit as the evidence of the Spirits presence, v17-20.

Look at that list again and think of who you are going to meet today.
You are called as a ruler to rule, to lead, to set the example.
May God bless you today as you try.

Isaiah 31

While many cities and villages along the Indian Ocean suffered catastrophic losses from the December 2004 tsunami, the port city of Pondicherry, India, and its 300,000 inhabitants were spared. Just beyond city limits, 600 people were killed by the devastating tidal wave, but Pondicherry withstood the tsunami. Why were they protected ?
The answer began 250 years ago when France colonized the city. The French built a massive stone seawall. Year after year, the French continued to strengthen the wall, piling huge boulders along its 1.25-mile length.
The French stopped building Pondicherry’s seawall in 1957, but their work prepared them for a disaster that would occur five decades into the future.

Are you building your life ready for the future?
Some of you are standing today because of the investment you put in so many years ago. You refused to run to ‘Egypt’ to trust in man. You were not dazzled by their horses, their chariots and horsemen, their money, prestige, wisdom and strength. You gave your life to god and committed your way to Him and as a result He has promised to shield and deliver you, to pass over you like a bird hovering over its young and to rescue you.

The attacks will come to no avail. No value, no advantage. No profit. No effect. No benefit. Because you refused to trust in ‘Egypt’. Amen!

Isaiah 30

Where do you run to when it all goes wrong? Or when you need something other than what you can contribute who do you look to?
For Judah, it was Egypt. If Egypt became their ally then no one could defeat them, all fear would be gone, life would be great again.

God speaks to them and says the greatest power is not Egypt nor anything else, but that what is inside of you. Simple trust of a God who cares.

In quietness and trust is your strength, v15.

Quietness is not to panic.
Quietness is not burying your head in the sand, but facing the issue with belief that God is more real than the issue.
Quietness does not look charismatically powerful, many prefer to shout.
Quietness feels like it can get worse at any moment.
Quietness is patience.
Quietness is prepared to die knowing you will then live.

There is often no silence within our lives. We need to rebuild stillness. Our brains are always occupied, looking for the next thing, hoping, longing, watching, but God is whispering. Be still. Be still and know.

Deal with the noise pollution and be empowered within today.

Isaiah 29

Ariel is David’s City, Jerusalem. The name means Lion of God and is found only here used for Jerusalem and used sarcastically.

There are many who think themselves more highly than they should, v1
Many celebrate religiously, v1
They appear spiritual but they are blind and drunk, v9
They appear to still dream but theirs is just sleep, unproductive and vulnerable, v10
Many read the Bible but the content never enters their life, 11-12
There are many whose mouths and hearts don’t match up, v13
They have their rules, their plans, their beliefs, but they do not have God, v13-16

But the promise of God is this:

Even the deceivers (Jacobs name means trickster) can be restored, v22
Even though the past was bad, satisfaction can be had in that the new generation are holy, 23
Even though we sinned we all can come to know the truth, v24

This promise of God is what Jesus came to bring.
It is freely available today.