Missions Paul

Isaiah 13

I have just been reading of an Afghan woman explaining to a correspondent that the women who continue to wear burqas, the full-body coverings mandated by the Taliban do so even though they don’t like them and are no longer forced to wear them because:
“We have lived in darkness for so long that now we are afraid of the light.”
v 10 The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light.
The Day of Judgment will be day of darkness. Evil flourishes in darkness.
Some today even though they may have faith cannot see the stars in the sky. They are unable to see the sunrises that happen every day. They only see clouds not the sun, not even the rays through the clouds. The lights have gone out. Actually the light is there, but they cannot see it.
Today come out from the darkness, forgive and let go where that is needed, trust the God of light again. Do not be afraid to change. Do not be afraid to step into the light. He is waiting for you. He has not stopped shining.

Isaiah 12

You may be unsure of many things.
The results could go either way, the decisions being made, what happens next so unpredictable.
There are no guarantees with man.
One moment they are by your side and the next they are gone.
Surely God … v2
When all else fails…surely God.
When everyone leaves the room…surely God.
When the sun goes down…surely God.
God cannot stop being who He is, your God.

Isaiah 11

It doesn’t make sense.
What is seen and heard not being taken as the sole truth.
The wolf with the lamb.
The leopard with the goat.
A child leading a calf and a lion.
A cow eating with a bear.
A vegetarian lion.
Children and snakes.
This is a world that doesn’t make sense.
Historical feuds ended.
People walking across rivers miraculously.
Enemies silenced forever.
If all this can happen.
If a world can become back to front.
Then you, a remnant, a left-over, can be reached again.
You’re not too far off, nor too small and insignificant.
You may only be a shoot from a stump, a branch from roots.
However, you can walk tall again, not in hiding, not on a B-road but a High road.
It doesn’t make sense.
However, it is possible. So pray the ancient prayer.
Come Holy Spirit. As you did with Jesus, rest on me.

Isaiah 10

What is left?
As you look around today you may see a lot of things have been taken from you, people have left you and you perhaps feel isolated.
However, God has always used a remnant throughout history. He never uses multitudes.
A remnant that begin to truly rely on Him, v20.
A remnant that return to believe in His might and power again, v21.
Don’t focus on the circumstance, you are still here. A remnant, supernaturally preserved and protected by God, ready to rely and return.
That is what is left and how amazing you are!

Isaiah 9

He never rolls his eyes at you.
He never drags His feet.
He really does want to make things clear to you, like darkness into light.
He does want you to grow through this circumstance.
He wants joy to increase.
He wants to shatter your burdens.
He wants to lift the weight from you.
He really does want to break that which oppresses you.
He is not just capable of this. He really wants to do it.
In fact He is passionate about His purposes for your life, enthusiastic and excited.
He is zealous for you.
For you are also His child.

ISAIAH 8

For those facing attacks of all kinds today:
1. Declare openly God’s message of protection and provision,v1.
2. Get faithful people to agree with you, v2.
3. The attacker is attacking God not you. The land did not belong to Ahaz, it was Immanuel’s, v8.
4. Threats, preparations, strategies and plans will not succeed against you because God is with us, Immanuel, v10.
5. Put your faith in God’s voice and hand not the attacker, v11.
6. Make God the rock of protection and don’t become offended, v14-15.
7. Wait for Him, be at the ready, awakened to serve Him, for action, v17.
8. Don’t try to receive guidance on the cheap, prayer is always the key, v19.
9. Immerse yourself in God’s Word, v20.

Isaiah 7

Have you ever met someone who is able to quote verses from the Bible yet they are not the person they appear to be?
Meet Ahaz. He’s not a nice man. He’s not a true worshipper of God. In fact, he’s evil, he offered his own son as a burnt offering to the gods. Yet there was a side to him that made him look good.
“I will not put the Lord to the test”, v12.
Ahaz’s nation, Judah, was hugely outnumbered by an invading coalition army of Israel and Syria.
He and his people were shaking from fear but they were not in fear of God unlike Isaiah in the chapter before.
God speaks to Ahaz to assure him; he does not need to be afraid; the invasion will not be successful; these nations will not be there in 65 years time.
All Ahaz has to do is to believe, to stand firm in faith, v9. God tells Ahaz to ask for something from Him. He is really telling Ahaz to change and acknowledge he does need God.
Ahaz refuses by quoting Scripture. How pious! The truth was he had already arranged an alliance with Assyria who would help him. He had a plan. He didn’t need God.
Today God still asks people to need Him.

I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
Refrain:
I need Thee, oh, I need Thee;
Every hour I need Thee;
Oh, bless me now, my Saviour,
I come to Thee.

I need Thee every hour, stay Thou nearby;
Temptations lose their pow’r when Thou art nigh.

I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;
Come quickly and abide, or life is vain.

I need Thee every hour; teach me Thy will;
And Thy rich promises in me fulfill.

I need Thee every hour, most Holy One;
Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son.

Annie S. Hawks 1872

Isaiah 6

King Uzziah died in 740BC under God’s judgment, a leper buried not in the King’s tombs because of his skin disease. He died a broken man and Isaiah the prophet speaking for God during his reign is disappointed because of the way the King ended his life.
Isaiah has a sense of failure, he is unclean, a prophet with unclean lips.
He is disillusioned with God’s people who disbelieve the promises of God, they are also unclean.
It is this man, disappointed, a failure, disillusioned, who is granted a renewed vision of the Lord.
It is sometimes the place of brokenness where the perfect is found.

Isaiah 5

The prophet is singing today.
It is a song of love but also of pain, it is a song from the Lord.
How we treat people really does matter.
You can receive great accolades but can the Lord see the bleeding and the crying laying in the path of your destruction?
All He has done for you must be replicated by you in the lives of others.
He prepared your life, chose you and planted you in this life with a purpose and destiny, He believed in you, v2.
He protected you not with something flimsy but a double layer which would keep the destroyer from your life, v5.
He came looking, waiting, and confidently expecting to see Himself in the mirror of your life, v2.
Did he find justice or bloodshed? Have you been righting wrongs or inflicting wrongs to others? v7.
Did he find righteousness or distress? Have you been dealing with people rightly or are people hurting today because of you? v7.
The world can praise you for the facade but the prophet is singing of the lover who sees behind it all.
Isaiah sings to God’s people and says fruitfulness and security cannot be separated, v5-6.
How we treat people really does matter.

Isaiah 4
“And the Lord will create over the whole site, over every dwelling place of Mount Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy (a defence of divine love and protection)”, v5

A few weeks ago I read in a newspaper of Orina and Ray Wyness both in their 80’s who have lived in 60 different homes so far and are about to move again! The mother of three said: “I know people say moving is one of the most stressful things someone can do but I’ll never get bored of the buzz of moving into a new home”.
How wonderful!
Home is where the heart is but also for some where wars start and end.
What is it like in your home right now?
Your home has got to see the abundance of your God.
Don’t let your home receive wrong attitudes, disobedience, influenced by addictions, criticisms, bitterness, materialism, envies, prayerlessness, lack of Biblical stewardship.
God has given a promise for every generation who belong to him. It is a promise for the home. It is a promise of His glory.
The promise for your home is a glory (covering) of God’s love and God’s protection from the work of satan.