Category Archives: Hope

Faith / Trusting God, Hope, Learning To Pray Effectively, Prayer, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Strong in Our Weakness

Place Your Hope In Yahweh, Even In Difficult Times

It is easy for us to get discouraged when we experience hard times, when things do not go the way we expect or desire. When we feel overwhelmed, we may begin to feel distant to Jehovah. We are wise to recognize that we need Him in those situations and turn toward Him… seeking Him wholeheartedly for help.

Psalm 43

Prayer for Deliverance.

     1Vindicate me, O God, and plead my case against an ungodly nation;
O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!

      2For You are the God of my strength; why have You rejected me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

      3O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me;
Let them bring me to Your holy hill
And to Your dwelling places.

      4Then I will go to the altar of God,
To God my exceeding joy;
And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God.

      5Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why are you disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

Many of the Psalms begin with sorrow and difficulty. By turning to Jehovah and calling out to Him and trusting in Him they often end with hope and joy, even before the situation has been resolved or improved. Just reminding ourselves of our Father in heaven and engaging Him in true communication can be of great help.  Place your hope in Jehovah, even when times are tough.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Hope, Learning To Pray Effectively, Suffering / Adversity, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Thirsting for God

Those of us who have a meaningful relationship with our Lord and Creator know that we do not always feel close to Him. Sometimes the troubles and trials of the world, or even our own sin, can make us feel distant from Him. When we find ourselves struggling, remember to make a conscious decision to seek Him out. He will answer, though it will be in His way and His timing.

Psalm 42

BOOK 2

Thirsting for God in Trouble and Exile.

For the choir director. A Maskil of the sons of Korah.

      1As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.

      2My soul thirsts for God, for the living God;
When shall I come and appear before God?

      3My tears have been my food day and night,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

      4These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

      5Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him
For the help of His presence.

      6O my God, my soul is in despair within me;
Therefore I remember You from the land of the Jordan
And the peaks of Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

      7Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls;
All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

      8The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime;
And His song will be with me in the night,
A prayer to the God of my life.

      9I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?
Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

      10As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

      11Why are you in despair, O my soul?
And why have you become disturbed within me?
Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him,
The help of my countenance and my God.

We can and should always hope in God, even in difficult times. We can count on His lovingkindness and His unchanging character, even when we feel distant from Him. He never changes. When we feel despair, turn wholeheartedly toward Him and ask for His help to lead you out of despair and back to rejoicing… no matter the circumstances.

—-

Have you submitted your life to Jesus Christ? If you die today, do you know for sure that you would be with God in heaven? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Compassionate, Faith / Trusting God, False Prophets / Teachers, Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, Hope, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Remain Hopeful in God’s Redemption, Even When Things Are Not as You Want

The key theme of Jeremiah 29 is the message of hope and encouragement for the exiled Israelites living in Babylon. The chapter contains a letter from the prophet Jeremiah to the Jewish exiles, urging them to settle down, build homes, plant gardens, and seek the welfare of the city they are in. He advises them not to be discouraged by their current situation but to trust in God’s plans for their future. The famous verse in Jeremiah 29:11 emphasizes God’s promise of a hopeful and prosperous future for them: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” The overall message is to remain faithful, patiently endure the exile, and have confidence in God’s ultimate plan for restoration and blessings.

There is also a warning against those who falsely prophesy in the Lord’s name and convince people to believe in a lie because it is more along the lines of what they want to believe… such as the message that the exile will not be long.

Jeremiah 29

Message to the Exiles

      1Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2(This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying, 4“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5‘Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. 6‘Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease. 7‘Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.’ 8“For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams which they dream. 9‘For they prophesy falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them,’ declares the LORD.

      10“For thus says the LORD, ‘When seventy years have been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfill My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. 12‘Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. 14‘I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’

      15“Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’— 16for thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who did not go with you into exile— 17thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine and pestilence, and I will make them like split-open figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness. 18‘I will pursue them with the sword, with famine and with pestilence; and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse and a horror and a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19because they have not listened to My words,’ declares the LORD, ‘which I sent to them again and again by My servants the prophets; but you did not listen,’ declares the LORD. 20“You, therefore, hear the word of the LORD, all you exiles, whom I have sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

      21“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and concerning Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you falsely in My name, ‘Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will slay them before your eyes. 22‘Because of them a curse will be used by all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “May the LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire, 23because they have acted foolishly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have spoken words in My name falsely, which I did not command them; and I am He who knows and am a witness,” declares the LORD.’”

      24To Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall speak, saying, 25“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26“The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, to be the overseer in the house of the LORD over every madman who prophesies, to put him in the stocks and in the iron collar, 27now then, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who prophesies to you? 28“For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘The exile will be long; build houses and live in them and plant gardens and eat their produce.’”’”

      29Zephaniah the priest read this letter to Jeremiah the prophet. 30Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying, 31“Send to all the exiles, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, “Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, although I did not send him, and he has made you trust in a lie,” 32therefore thus says the LORD, “Behold, I am about to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his descendants; he will not have anyone living among this people, and he will not see the good that I am about to do to My people,” declares the LORD, “because he has preached rebellion against the LORD.”’”

We can apply this message to our lives as well. Things will not always go the way we want. We are to remain faithful and patiently endure what God leads us through, and have confidence in God’s ultimate plan for restoration and blessings.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Hope, Learning To Pray Effectively, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

Trusting in the Unseen: David’s Unwavering Confidence in God’s Response

How often do we turn to God for help, not really confident that He will answer us? Many of the Psalms that David wrote demonstrate something much more… hope and faith that God will answer even before the answer is delivered! David prays to ask God for help and then follows up by thanking and praising God for the answer that he knows will come.

Psalm 28

A Prayer for Help, and Praise for Its Answer.

A Psalm of David.

 1To You, O LORD, I call;
My rock, do not be deaf to me,
For if You are silent to me,
I will become like those who go down to the pit.

2Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You for help,
When I lift up my hands toward Your holy sanctuary.

3Do not drag me away with the wicked
And with those who work iniquity,
Who speak peace with their neighbors,
While evil is in their hearts.

4Requite them according to their work and according to the evil of their practices;
Requite them according to the deeds of their hands;
Repay them their recompense.

5Because they do not regard the works of the LORD
Nor the deeds of His hands,
He will tear them down and not build them up.

6Blessed be the LORD,
Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.

7The LORD is my strength and my shield;
My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;
Therefore my heart exults,
And with my song I shall thank Him.

8The LORD is their strength,
And He is a saving defense to His anointed.

9Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;
Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever.

Praise to You, God, for we know that you hear the prayers of Your people even before you answer them. I pray You would strengthen me in my faith as You did David. I pray I would come to You in prayer filled with hope and faith that You hear and will answer. Glory to God, creator of all things, who loves His people enough to listen whenever we seek Him!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Grace / Forgiveness, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Hope, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Traditions / Holidays

Resurrection and First Fruits

When we devote time to prayer and study of YHWH’s word and ask him to show us the full depth of his word, the Spirit often does just that. We must be willing to let go of traditions of men that we have learned and seek out the traditions of YHWH. I have previously written about my transition away from celebrating Easter in the tradition of the church and culture of today, which includes a number of pagan influences, towards celebrating Passover, which aligns with reinforcing our relationship with YHWH as he previously instructed his people to celebrate. To state the obvious, Yeshua celebrated Passover and I will follow Him.

Without getting into full study here, I do not take this to mean that we perform animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10), but rather seek to celebrate or memorialize Passover by remembering how YHWH led his people out of slavery in Egypt by his might and power. Now, we also have more reason to celebrate Passover as Yeshua was sacrificed during Passover as our Passover lamb, setting us free from slavery to sin and death. We have much reason to celebrate indeed!

As we look to his resurrection, study indicates that it actually took place during the Biblical celebration of first fruits. Once again, YHWH shows that he will use his holy appointed days to reinforce and amplify the meaning of his relationship with his people.

I have included a brief article from Ligonier Ministries about First Fruits and resurrection below.

“You shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statue forever throughout your generations” (v. 14). – Leviticus 23:9–22

Passover was not the only spring festival celebrated under the covenant, for the Israelites also commemorated the Feast of Firstfruits and the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost. The Feast of Firstfruits actually took place during the week-long Passover celebration (Lev. 23:4–8), on the first day after the Sabbath that occurred in the midst of the week (vv. 9–11). Pentecost occurred fifty days after that Sabbath (vv. 15–16) and marked the culmination of what started at the Feast of Firstfruits.

As its name indicates, the Feast of Firstfruits marked thanksgiving to God for the firstfruits of the harvest — in this case, the grain and cereal harvested in the spring in ancient Palestine. At this festival, the Israelites offered the very first sheaf of the harvest and were not allowed to eat anything from the crop until they gave its initial portion to the Lord (vv. 9–14). This required a great deal of faith on the part of the Israelites, as they would be giving the offering of firstfruits at a time when not much was ready to be harvested. They had to trust God that He would indeed provide the fullness of grain that had yet to come forth, something that from a human perspective was far from certain given the people’s utter dependence on the right amount of rainfall and so forth to give the best crop.

Somewhere around AD 30, the firstfruits of an even greater harvest issued forth, for it was on the first day after the Sabbath that occurred in the midst of the Passover celebration that Jesus rose from the dead (Matt. 28:1–10). Lest there be any doubt that His resurrection fulfilled the Feast of Firstfruits, Paul tells us explicitly that Christ is the firstfruits of those who will be raised from the dead (1 Cor. 15:20–23). Just as the firstfruits offered to God under the old covenant anticipated the fuller harvest to come, the resurrection of Jesus anticipates the bodily resurrection of His people first promised under the old covenant (Job 19:25–27).

Fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits was the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost (from the Greek term pentekostos, or fiftieth), which was the grand celebration at the end of the grain harvest. On this occasion, the offerings of food and animals to the Lord were more lavish (Lev. 23:15–22), an appropriate way to thank Him for the tremendous bounty He had provided. Tomorrow we will look at Pentecost in more detail.

Coram Deo

Paul says Jesus was raised for our justification (Rom. 4:25), and so we often celebrate Jesus’ resurrection as proof that our sins have been fully atoned for and that we are now declared righteous in God’s sight. This is entirely appropriate, but we should also remember that our Lord’s resurrection is proof positive that we who trust in Him will be raised in like manner at the last day and dwell with Him bodily in a new heaven and earth.

Passages for Further Study

Numbers 28:26–31
Proverbs 3:9–10
Acts 2:1–4
2 Thessalonians 2:13

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to the wonderful ways of Your law and instruction. Help me to fully experience Your ways in celebrating and honoring You. Thank You that You provide for Your people. Thank You for raising up Christ as first fruits of the promised resurrection. Thank You for the hope this brings to those of us who believe, even when times may be difficult. There are none like You. You are truly worthy of praise and honor.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Hope, Obeying God, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Purposeful / Intentional, Share the Good News

Do Not Lose Heart

Paul was very effective in spreading the true gospel, in the face of many false teachings and embedded pagan beliefs. All of us in the body of Christ should take heed when he speaks about his ministry so as to learn from and replicate his success.

In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul has such a passage where he speaks on his ministry. He starts by acknowledging he has the ministry only through the mercy he received from the Father. Clearly, there is an opportunity for frustration and struggle, or he would not comment on “we do not lose heart”. He clearly separates himself from the world in terms of his behaviors and attitudes. They were genuine and without hidden or selfish purpose. They had no ulterior motives. They were focused on the truth of the word of God without modifying or changing it to make it “easier” for non believers to accept. He recognized, in teaching the full, unadulterated word of God, some would not receive it… they have been blinded by Satan. Only God can open their eyes. They preach God rather than themselves. He acknowledges that only through God does he have His word and His glory to reflect through them to the world. It is not through his own accomplishment or skill.

In fact, our weak earthen vessels (our bodies) serve only the more to point to God as He is strong in our weakness. His glory shines coming from such humble vessels. Paul further acknowledges the hope within for resurrection to be with the Father when our earthly vessels pass away.

2 Corinthians 4

Paul’s Apostolic Ministry

     1Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart, 2but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

      7But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12So death works in us, but life in you.

      13But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.

      16Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Whether or not you are a formal leader in the body of Christ, we are all called to share the gospel with others. In essence, we all have a ministry in the way we live. This message applies to all of us for our lives. Ask God to help you fully embrace these foundational elements of ministry as Paul highlighted. Remember… all who have faith in Christ and believe in Him are called to speak and share with others and not to remain silent, knowing that even if we are persecuted for our faith we will be raised again to be with the Lord.

   13But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I BELIEVED, THEREFORE I SPOKE,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you.

Take a few minutes to pray. Give thanks to God for the scriptures and the Holy Spirit, both of which enlighten us and guide our path. Ask Him to show you how to apply 2 Cor 4 in your life.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

 

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Heaven and Hell, Holy Spirit (hearing from God), Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Hope

The Future Glory

There is much sin and suffering in this world. As we go through our daily walk with Jesus Christ, we have confident hope that we will be released from this suffering when we leave this world to join Jesus for eternity. While we are still here, God has given us the Holy Spirit to help guide and support us through these difficult times.

Romans 8:18-30

18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. 19 For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,[j] including the new bodies he has promised us. 24 We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don’t need to hope[k] for it. 25 But if we look forward to something we don’t yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)

26 And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. 27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers[l] in harmony with God’s own will. 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together[m] for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. 29 For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn[n] among many brothers and sisters. 30 And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory.

What a wonderful God we have that is so vast He created and rules over everything and yet he cares so much for each of us He provides us the help we need to live out our daily lives. Praise God!

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Consequences of Sin, Fear / Reverence for God, Hope, Humility

God’s Favor Is on the Humble but Punishment Is for Those Who Transgress Against Him

Isaiah 66 is a chapter full of passion that brings the book of Isaiah to a close. It is a lot to take in. Here are a few themes to consider as you read through:

  • God is the creator of all the earth. He does not need man, but He will look toward one who is humble and fears Gods word.
  • For those who will follow the letter of God’s law with sacrifices and such, but are choosing to do what is evil in His sight, He will bring punishment. God hates hypocrisy.
  •  Jerusalem, representing God’s people, will experience joy and restoration at God’s hand.
  • God’s people will endure just as the new heaven and earth He creates. All mankind will bow down before God.
  • There is great suffering for those who transgress God.

Isaiah 66

Heaven Is God’s Throne

      1Thus says the LORD,
“Heaven is My throne and the earth is My footstool.
Where then is a house you could build for Me?
And where is a place that I may rest?

      2“For My hand made all these things,
Thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD.
“But to this one I will look,
To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.

Hypocrisy Rebuked

3“But he who kills an ox is like one who slays a man;
He who sacrifices a lamb is like the one who breaks a dog’s neck;
He who offers a grain offering is like one who offers swine’s blood;
He who burns incense is like the one who blesses an idol.
As they have chosen their own ways,
And their soul delights in their abominations,

      4So I will choose their punishments
And will bring on them what they dread.
Because I called, but no one answered;
I spoke, but they did not listen.
And they did evil in My sight
And chose that in which I did not delight.”

      5Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at His word:
“Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for My name’s sake,
Have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified, that we may see your joy.’
But they will be put to shame.

      6“A voice of uproar from the city, a voice from the temple,
The voice of the LORD who is rendering recompense to His enemies.

      7“Before she travailed, she brought forth;
Before her pain came, she gave birth to a boy.

      8“Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?
Can a land be born in one day?
Can a nation be brought forth all at once?
As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.

      9“Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?” says the LORD.
“Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

Joy in Jerusalem’s Future

10“Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her;
Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,

      11That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts,
That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”

      12For thus says the LORD, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;
And you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees.

      13“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you;
And you will be comforted in Jerusalem.”

      14Then you will see this, and your heart will be glad,
And your bones will flourish like the new grass;
And the hand of the LORD will be made known to His servants,
But He will be indignant toward His enemies.

      15For behold, the LORD will come in fire
And His chariots like the whirlwind,
To render His anger with fury,
And His rebuke with flames of fire.

      16For the LORD will execute judgment by fire
And by His sword on all flesh,
And those slain by the LORD will be many.

      17“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the gardens,
Following one in the center,
Who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things and mice,
Will come to an end altogether,” declares the LORD.

      18“For I know their works and their thoughts; the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and see My glory. 19“I will set a sign among them and will send survivors from them to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations. 20“Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the sons of Israel bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. 21“I will also take some of them for priests and for Levites,” says the LORD.

      22“For just as the new heavens and the new earth
Which I make will endure before Me,” declares the LORD,
“So your offspring and your name will endure.

      23“And it shall be from new moon to new moon
And from sabbath to sabbath,
All mankind will come to bow down before Me,” says the LORD.

      24“Then they will go forth and look
On the corpses of the men
Who have transgressed against Me.
For their worm will not die
And their fire will not be quenched;
And they will be an abhorrence to all mankind.”

As you reflect again on the key points, consider the impact on your life. Are you fully submitted to God? Are you living even in part with hypocrisy? Are you transgressing against God? Pray the Spirit gives you clarity and courage to make any needed changes in your life.

  • God is the creator of all the earth. He does not need man, but He will look toward one who is humble and fears Gods word.
  • For those who will follow the letter of God’s law with sacrifices and such, but are choosing to do what is evil in His sight, He will bring punishment. God hates hypocrisy.
  •  Jerusalem, representing God’s people, will experience joy and restoration at God’s hand.
  • God’s people will endure just as the new heaven and earth He creates. All mankind will bow down before God.
  • There is great suffering for those who transgress God.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Heaven and Hell, Hope, New Heaven and Earth

New Heavens and a New Earth

When God creates the new heavens and the new earth, the former things will not be remembered. It is like this also when God does dramatic things in our lives even today. When He restores a marriage or other relationship,  when He heals from an illness, when He forgives our sin as we accept Him as Savior… it is like a new beginning and the former things fade away. Be glad and rejoice in what He makes and what He does in your life.

Look forward with hope and anticipation for the new heaven and new earth or the restoration you are asking the LORD to bring in your life.

Isaiah 65:17-24

New Heavens and a New Earth

17“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth;
And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.

      18“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create;
For behold, I create Jerusalem for rejoicing
And her people for gladness.

      19“I will also rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in My people;
And there will no longer be heard in her
The voice of weeping and the sound of crying.

      20“No longer will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days,
Or an old man who does not live out his days;
For the youth will die at the age of one hundred
And the one who does not reach the age of one hundred
Will be thought accursed.

      21“They will build houses and inhabit them;
They will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

      22“They will not build and another inhabit,
They will not plant and another eat;
For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people,
And My chosen ones will wear out the work of their hands.

      23“They will not labor in vain,
Or bear children for calamity;
For they are the offspring of those blessed by the LORD,
And their descendants with them.

24“It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear. 25“The wolf and the lamb will graze together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox; and dust will be the serpent’s food. They will do no evil or harm in all My holy mountain,” says the LORD.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Hope, Protector / Deliverer, Psalms, Strong in Our Weakness, Wickedness / Evil

Only Fools Say in Their Hearts “There Is No God”

I am truly inspired by the faith and hope that David had in God even when he was experiencing grief and suffering or witnessing evil. Psalm 14 shows David relying on God even while he sees the wickedness and evil in abundance around him.

Psalm 14

1 Only fools say in their hearts,
    “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, and their actions are evil;
    not one of them does good!

2 The Lord looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
3 But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.[a]
No one does good,
    not a single one!

4 Will those who do evil never learn?
    They eat up my people like bread
    and wouldn’t think of praying to the Lord.
5 Terror will grip them,
    for God is with those who obey him.
6 The wicked frustrate the plans of the oppressed,
    but the Lord will protect his people.

7 Who will come from Mount Zion to rescue Israel?
    When the Lord restores his people,
    Jacob will shout with joy, and Israel will rejoice.

David reminds us that only fools deny God’s existence. Creation itself cries out in testimony to the Creator. And those who insist there is no God then tend to lean on their own sin nature to guide them, which leads to corruption, selfishness, and all kinds of evil.

Some who reject God may seem to be respectful of life and help other people. But if you really dig into what drives them it is often the Christian beliefs that have so widely affected much of the world view for centuries. They will not even recognize its origins in Christianity.

As an example… someone who believes in Darwinian evolution instead of creation with man created in the image of God really has no logical position to explain why we should help others or why we should not be okay with murdering one another. The strong survive, right?  We are not special as humans, we are just “evolved” animals, right? Helping the weak and those in need is not a survival advantage consistent with evolutionary theory. Hitler conducting horrible mass executions, on the other hand… actually that is consistent with evolutionary theory. Evolutionary ideas played an important role in influencing Hitler as he tried to create the “master race”.

Even as we witness great suffering and evil around us and around the world, we can be encouraged that God will restore His people in His timing and His method. We can have faith and hope that God is in control and will protect us… will stand with us. Sometimes it is hard to see it as people are suffering such as those being executed for their faith in Jesus Christ but we can trust the promises of God. The righteous who accept Jesus as lord will find rest with God after they pass through this life. The wicked will find an eternity without God in hell.

Shalom. May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you. Devotion by John in service to Christ

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.