Isaiah 9:6 ” For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…

All of humanity was lost…floundering in a sea of sin…sinking to never rise again.   When a baby was brought forth…God bestowing this precious gift on all.   For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son – Jesus Christ – to bridge the chasm between God and man…and bring  eternal life to a dying world.

Isaiah 26:12 ” Lord, You establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished You have done for us.”

Make no mistake about it…as a Believer, the deep sense of well-being you feel today has been brought about by a loving and merciful Heavenly Father.  And the next time before you pat yourself on the back for the great achievement you’ve just done…remember,  that  it’s only through Him that you’ve realized this success.

Isaiah 1: 19-20 ” If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Yielding our will to God is not easy…for compliance never comes without internal struggle.  But if we listen to Him…understanding that it’s for our own good that He’s directing us that way…and then obey the message we’ve heard…God will work all things out for our good.  Along this same line, Job 36:11 says, “If they obey and serve Him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity  and their years in contentment.”  Simple obedience…sometimes hard to do, but oh so beneficial.

Isaiah 43: 12-13 ” I have revealed and saved and proclaimed – I, and not some foreign god among you. You are My witnesses, declares the Lord, that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He. No one can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it? “

When God moves, no thing or person can change the outcome He has in mind.  His sovereignty and  power is ever evident as He  works miracles…both on the grand scale, and little blessings only known by the recipient. But the most  important part of this verse is the concept that God’s work can never be snatched away or revoked… for  the Lord is ever in complete control.

Isaiah 57: 14-15 ” And it will be said: ‘Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of My people.’ For this is what the high and lofty One says – He who lives forever, whose name is holy: ‘I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.’ “

A refreshing is coming.  A time of spiritual edification and uplifting for all Believers.  God will send a new wind of change…to restore and strengthen the broken and discouraged.  He will breathe new life into old places…and fresh vision into tired and apathetic souls.  As Oswald Chambers once said, ” Beware of paying attention or going back to what you once were, when God wants you to be something that you have never been .”  A new wind is coming…a time of refreshing is upon us.

Isaiah 25:9 ” Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.”

Where and in whom does your hope lie today?  Do you trust only yourself and your sheer determination to make your dreams reality?  Or maybe you trust the world around you to give you everything you desire.  Unfortunately, there is no one or thing here on earth that has the ability to deliver you from damnation… for there is only one person that can give you victory over guilt and eternal punishment of your sins.  Jesus is that only person that can save your soul.

Mark 10:32 ” They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way…”

Jesus had been predicting His death to His Disciples… and they were fearful of traveling to Jerusalem for what they saw as imminent death of their beloved Leader.  Jesus didn’t shrink back or go into hiding…rather He had set off resolutely on the road to Jerusalem knowing full well what awaited Him.  Isaiah prophesied of this in 50:7, “…therefore I have set My face like flint…”  Jesus lead the way, going before the twelve Disciples…completely in control of the situation…not controlled by it.

Isaiah 50:4 ” He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”

Wake us O Lord.   We have walked so far from You that many no longer hear Your voice.  We are an apathetic and disengaged people…thinking someone else will kindle the fire within us.  Our spiritual lethargy squelches our passion and excitement to read Your Word and obey.   Lord, stir Your people…let us shake off our indifference and give you our undivided attention.  Wake us up O Lord.

II Corinthians 6:2 ” For He says, ‘In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”

Isaiah echoes this verse in Chapter 49, verses 8 and 9, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the time of My favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ ”  Today the Lord is extending His favor towards you…offering His grace and kindness in order to deliver your soul from the guilt and punishment of sin.  He’s uncovering and revealing to you the sin in your life…He’s shedding light upon your spiritual blindness and beckoning  you to come out of the darkness and be free.

Isaiah 2:22 ” Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Of what account is he?”

Psalm 146:3 states it another way, “Don’t put your trust in mortal men.”   We are all mere human creatures…here today and gone tomorrow.  None of us are that important or warrant historic distinction to be remembered  thousands of years from now…so putting your belief in man is worthless, for it’s only God that can be  fully trusted with your life.