Category Archives: Hope

Heaven and Hell, Hope, Suffering / Adversity

Death, Where Is Thy Sting?

Those who accept Jesus as Lord and follow after Him wholeheartedly may pass away but will go on to be in His presence. At His second coming, we will take on new heavenly bodies, imperishable and immortal. Through Christ and the forgiveness of our sins, death has lost its sting. Praise our Father in heaven!

1 Corinthians 15:50-58

The Mystery of Resurrection

     50Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55“O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

      58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

Keep your eye focused on the Lord and His work… His ways. Know that your toil is not without purpose and value to Him and to others around you. Be not distracted by the lure of the worldly. It is a trap. Be steadfast and immovable, abounding in the work of the Lord.

Take time in prayer and ask God to help you reflect on this reason for hope in the future for each of us. Let it sink in. Give thanks to God. Stay encouraged through whatever challenges you face. Continue to dedicate your life more and more to walk with 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.

His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Hope, Protector / Deliverer, Strong in Our Weakness, Thankfulness

I Know the Plans I Have for You… Plans for Good

The God and Creator of the universe has plans for you and me. Let that sink in. Even when we are in the midst of difficult times, God’s plans for us are still there! Those who seek Him wholeheartedly will find Him and be rescued. Those who reject Him will face serious consequences.

God spoke to Israel through Jeremiah during a time when many had lost hope. They had been exiled to Babylon, removed from their homes and lands to a faraway place and scattered amongst a culture far from God.

Jeremiah 29:1-23

4 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: 5 “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. 6 Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

8 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, 9 because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the Lord.

10 This is what the Lord says: “You will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. 12 In those days when you pray, I will listen. 13 If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. 14 I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

15 You claim that the Lord has raised up prophets for you in Babylon. 16 But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all those still living here in Jerusalem—your relatives who were not exiled to Babylon. 17 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “I will send war, famine, and disease upon them and make them like bad figs, too rotten to eat. 18 Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery. 19 For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,” says the Lord.

20 Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, all you captives there in Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophets—Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah—who are telling you lies in my name: “I will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar for execution before your eyes. 22 Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!’ 23 For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.”

Throughout His word, God consistently reminds us that there is hope and salvation for those who wholeheartedly seek Him, but accountability and serious consequences for those who reject Him. Which path will you choose?

Take a few minutes and pray humbly before God. Even if you are facing difficulties and challenges, be encouraged and put your hope and faith in God. Thank Him that He has plans for you, plans to prosper you. Reflect on the greatness of our God.  Let that hope stay with you throughout your day.

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, Hope, Prophecy, Suffering / Adversity

The Glorious Future Can Give Us Peace Even Today

The opening verses of Isaiah 32 appear to look forward to a time when Yeshua and those who follow Him are reigning. What a glorious time that will be! As we get further into the chapter, there is a reminder that we will continue to see struggles in this world until the Spirit is poured out from on high.

Isaiah 32

The Glorious Future

1Behold, a king will reign righteously
And princes will rule justly.

      2Each will be like a refuge from the wind
And a shelter from the storm,
Like streams of water in a dry country,
Like the shade of a huge rock in a parched land.

      3Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded,
And the ears of those who hear will listen.

      4The mind of the hasty will discern the truth,
And the tongue of the stammerers will hasten to speak clearly.

      5No longer will the fool be called noble,
Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.

      6For a fool speaks nonsense,
And his heart inclines toward wickedness:
To practice ungodliness and to speak error against the LORD,
To keep the hungry person unsatisfied
And to withhold drink from the thirsty.

      7As for a rogue, his weapons are evil;
He devises wicked schemes
To destroy the afflicted with slander,
Even though the needy one speaks what is right.

      8But the noble man devises noble plans;
And by noble plans he stands.

      9Rise up, you women who are at ease,
And hear my voice;
Give ear to my word,
You complacent daughters.

      10Within a year and a few days
You will be troubled, O complacent daughters;
For the vintage is ended,
And the fruit gathering will not come.

      11Tremble, you women who are at ease;
Be troubled, you complacent daughters;
Strip, undress and put sackcloth on your waist,

      12Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,

      13For the land of my people in which thorns and briars shall come up;
Yea, for all the joyful houses and for the jubilant city.

      14Because the palace has been abandoned, the populated city forsaken.
Hill and watch-tower have become caves forever,
A delight for wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks;

      15Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high,
And the wilderness becomes a fertile field,
And the fertile field is considered as a forest.

      16Then justice will dwell in the wilderness
And righteousness will abide in the fertile field.

      17And the work of righteousness will be peace,
And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.

      18Then my people will live in a peaceful habitation,
And in secure dwellings and in undisturbed resting places;

      19And it will hail when the forest comes down,
And the city will be utterly laid low.

      20How blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters,
Who let out freely the ox and the donkey.

You can study this chapter in more detail in various ways. Of course, you can always do an internet search, but there are also commentaries available on most of the major Bible websites such as Biblehub.com and Biblegateway.com.  One such commentary that is easy to digest is the Matthew Henry Concise .

Take a few minutes in prayer to relect with God on what it will be like when Yeshua returns and rules over us. Let that hope and expecation flow through you and bring you peace today. Yeshua is LORD even today. Embrace Him now. Let His peace settle over you. There is nothing that is beyond God.

Shalom. 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, Faith / Trusting God, Hope, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Justice / Judgment, Protector / Deliverer, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Judgment on the Earth but the Remnant Still Rejoices

Many are concerned with a great variety of difficulties on the earth, such as pollution. They see in the carnal only, the physical. They do not see the spiritual. God shows us in Isaiah 24 that the earth is polluted by its inhabitants, not because they used too much plastic, but because they broke the covenant with God. The people have transgressed laws and violated statutes. People have turned what is good into evil and evil into good in their minds. It is this that defiles the earth. It is for this that the earth will be judged and those on it.

Be encouraged, though, as there will be a joyous remnant remaining. God will make a new heaven and a new earth. God will reign among His people again!

Isaiah 24

Judgment on the Earth

      1Behold, the LORD lays the earth waste, devastates it, distorts its surface and scatters its inhabitants. 2And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the maid like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor. 3The earth will be completely laid waste and completely despoiled, for the LORD has spoken this word. 4The earth mourns and withers, the world fades and withers, the exalted of the people of the earth fade away. 5The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they transgressed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who live in it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.

      7The new wine mourns,
The vine decays,
All the merry-hearted sigh.

      8The gaiety of tambourines ceases,
The noise of revelers stops,
The gaiety of the harp ceases.

      9They do not drink wine with song;
Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.

      10The city of chaos is broken down;
Every house is shut up so that none may enter.

      11There is an outcry in the streets concerning the wine;
All joy turns to gloom.
The gaiety of the earth is banished.

      12Desolation is left in the city
And the gate is battered to ruins.

      13For thus it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples,
As the shaking of an olive tree,
As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over.

      14They raise their voices, they shout for joy;
They cry out from the west concerning the majesty of the LORD.

      15Therefore glorify the LORD in the east,
The name of the LORD, the God of Israel,
In the coastlands of the sea.

      16From the ends of the earth we hear songs, “Glory to the Righteous One,”
But I say, “Woe to me! Woe to me! Alas for me!
The treacherous deal treacherously,
And the treacherous deal very treacherously.”

      17Terror and pit and snare
Confront you, O inhabitant of the earth.

      18Then it will be that he who flees the report of disaster will fall into the pit,
And he who climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare;
For the windows above are opened, and the foundations of the earth shake.

      19The earth is broken asunder,
The earth is split through,
The earth is shaken violently.

      20The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard
And it totters like a shack,
For its transgression is heavy upon it,
And it will fall, never to rise again.

      21So it will happen in that day,
That the LORD will punish the host of heaven on high,
And the kings of the earth on earth.

      22They will be gathered together
Like prisoners in the dungeon,
And will be confined in prison;
And after many days they will be punished.

      23Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed,
For the LORD of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,
And His glory will be before His elders.

As believers, we can be encouraged that there is a remnant that survives and thrives with joy, even in hardship. Trust in God. Put your faith in Him. Rejoice and give thanks at all times.

I invite you to pray with me.

Father, thank You for protecting Your remnant and keeping us joyful! Thank You for the hope and faith that you will renew the earth and reign over us! Praise God who is worthy of all honor and glory. Amen. 

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, Faith / Trusting God, Faithful, Father / Yahweh, Grace / Forgiveness, Hope, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Peace / Rest, Prophecy, Prophecy, Through Prophets, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Have You Ever Felt Overwhelmed?

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the challenges and perhaps enemies you feel are coming before you? I suspect Judah felt that way when Israel and Syria were aligned against them. However, Isaiah 17 reminds us that God is all-powerful. He is able to bring down your enemies before you and remove what obstacles you are facing. Put your faith in the LORD. Follow His ways. Be encouraged.

I think the Matthew Henry Concise commentary includes some good background on Isaiah 17 for those interested. I want to highlight a few sentences in particular to share.

“Happy are those who remember God as their salvation, and rely on his power and grace. The trouble of the believers, and the prosperity of their enemies, will be equally short; while the joy of the former, and the destruction of those that hate and spoil them, shall last for ever.”

Isaiah 17

Prophecy about Damascus

      1The oracle concerning Damascus.
“Behold, Damascus is about to be removed from being a city
And will become a fallen ruin.

      2“The cities of Aroer are forsaken;
They will be for flocks to lie down in,
And there will be no one to frighten them.

      3“The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim,
And sovereignty from Damascus
And the remnant of Aram;
They will be like the glory of the sons of Israel,”
Declares the LORD of hosts.

      4Now in that day the glory of Jacob will fade,
And the fatness of his flesh will become lean.

      5It will be even like the reaper gathering the standing grain,
As his arm harvests the ears,
Or it will be like one gleaning ears of grain
In the valley of Rephaim.

      6Yet gleanings will be left in it like the shaking of an olive tree,
Two or three olives on the topmost bough,
Four or five on the branches of a fruitful tree,
Declares the LORD, the God of Israel.

      7In that day man will have regard for his Maker
And his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel.

      8He will not have regard for the altars, the work of his hands,
Nor will he look to that which his fingers have made,
Even the Asherim and incense stands.

      9In that day their strong cities will be like forsaken places in the forest,
Or like branches which they abandoned before the sons of Israel;
And the land will be a desolation.

      10For you have forgotten the God of your salvation
And have not remembered the rock of your refuge.
Therefore you plant delightful plants
And set them with vine slips of a strange god.

      11In the day that you plant it you carefully fence it in,
And in the morning you bring your seed to blossom;
But the harvest will be a heap
In a day of sickliness and incurable pain.

      12Alas, the uproar of many peoples
Who roar like the roaring of the seas,
And the rumbling of nations
Who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters!

      13The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters,
But He will rebuke them and they will flee far away,
And be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind,
Or like whirling dust before a gale.

      14At evening time, behold, there is terror!
Before morning they are no more.
Such will be the portion of those who plunder us
And the lot of those who pillage us.

I want to close by coming back to the point highlighted above from the Matthew Henry Concise commentary.

“Happy are those who remember God as their salvation, and rely on his power and grace. The trouble of the believers, and the prosperity of their enemies, will be equally short; while the joy of the former, and the destruction of those that hate and spoil them, shall last for ever.”

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, help me to remember You are my salvation. Help me to rely on Your power and grace. The trouble of believers and the prosperity of our enemies will be equally short. Our joy as believers will last forever as we draw nearer to You.  Help us to find peace by casting our anxiety and worries upon You for You care for us. I pray this in the name of Yeshua, Amen. 

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, Hope, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Peace / Rest, Prophecy, Through Prophets

Find Peace Today Reflecting on the Return of the King

Isaiah 11 refers to the 1,000-year rule of Yeshua on earth (also referenced in Revelation 20:4-6) after He comes a second time. God brings earth and its people back under His rule. It will be very much like the days of the Garden of Eden before sin entered through Adam and Eve. I find hope, joy and peace fill me when I seriously look forward to such a time. The more real I let it feel in my mind, the greater and more encouraging my experience. It is good to look ahead and understand where we will finish from time to time. It can help take away some of the stress of the current situation in the world.

Isaiah 11

Righteous Reign of the Branch

1Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,
And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

      2The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him,
The spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The spirit of counsel and strength,
The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

      3And He will delight in the fear of the LORD,
And He will not judge by what His eyes see,
Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

      4But with righteousness He will judge the poor,
And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth;
And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,
And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked.

      5Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,
And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

      6And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,
And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,
And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little boy will lead them.

      7Also the cow and the bear will graze,
Their young will lie down together,
And the lion will eat straw like the ox.

      8The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra,
And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

      9They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,
For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD
As the waters cover the sea.

      10Then in that day
The nations will resort to the root of Jesse,
Who will stand as a signal for the peoples;
And His resting place will be glorious.

The Restored Remnant

11Then it will happen on that day that the Lord
Will again recover the second time with His hand
The remnant of His people, who will remain,
From Assyria, Egypt, Pathros, Cush, Elam, Shinar, Hamath,
And from the islands of the sea.

      12And He will lift up a standard for the nations
And assemble the banished ones of Israel,
And will gather the dispersed of Judah
From the four corners of the earth.

      13Then the jealousy of Ephraim will depart,
And those who harass Judah will be cut off;
Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah,
And Judah will not harass Ephraim.

      14They will swoop down on the slopes of the Philistines on the west;
Together they will plunder the sons of the east;
They will possess Edom and Moab,
And the sons of Ammon will be subject to them.

      15And the LORD will utterly destroy
The tongue of the Sea of Egypt;
And He will wave His hand over the River
With His scorching wind;
And He will strike it into seven streams
And make men walk over dry-shod.

      16And there will be a highway from Assyria
For the remnant of His people who will be left,
Just as there was for Israel
In the day that they came up out of the land of Egypt.

Take some time to imagine yourself in this place in the future, under Yeshua’s rule on the physical earth. Experience the peace and hope in your mind and soul. Let it refresh you as you remember that God is ultimately in control of all that is going on around us.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for showing us a glimpse into the hopeful future! Thank You for Your promise to gather us together again when You return. Thank You for blessing and showing favor upon Your remnant that we flourish even in difficult times. In the name of Yeshua, our Messiah, we pray. Amen. 

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.

Discipline / Guidance From God, Encouragement, Grace / Forgiveness, Hope, Justice / Judgment, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

He Disciplines and Forgives Those He Loves

God has a pattern with His people. He brings correction when they turn away from Him and then He sustains a righteous remnant. Overall, He loves His people and wants them to return to Him. He wants what is best for them. If they have gone astray, they need correction to put them back on the right path. He gives them that. In some ways it is like how we guide our children that go astray. We discipline them but also accept them back in love. If you have ever met children that receive no boundaries or discipline, then you know why this is important. They are a mess. They get off track and stay there. Compare that to children who seem to always be on the right track… well mannered, respectful, helpful, etc. They have received discipline when needed and it shows.

Consider this example in Isaiah 9. God uses a godless nation to be His instrument of discipline to bring His people back to Him.

Isaiah 10

Assyria Is God’s Instrument

1Woe to those who enact evil statutes
And to those who constantly record unjust decisions,

      2So as to deprive the needy of justice
And rob the poor of My people of their rights,
So that widows may be their spoil
And that they may plunder the orphans.

      3Now what will you do in the day of punishment,
And in the devastation which will come from afar?
To whom will you flee for help?
And where will you leave your wealth?

      4Nothing remains but to crouch among the captives
Or fall among the slain.
In spite of all this, His anger does not turn away
And His hand is still stretched out.

      5Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hands is My indignation,

      6I send it against a godless nation
And commission it against the people of My fury
To capture booty and to seize plunder,
And to trample them down like mud in the streets.

      7Yet it does not so intend,
Nor does it plan so in its heart,
But rather it is its purpose to destroy
And to cut off many nations.

      8For it says, “Are not my princes all kings?

      9“Is not Calno like Carchemish,
Or Hamath like Arpad,
Or Samaria like Damascus?

      10“As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,
Whose graven images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

      11Shall I not do to Jerusalem and her images
Just as I have done to Samaria and her idols?”

      12So it will be that when the Lord has completed all His work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, He will say, “I will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness.”

13For he has said,
“By the power of my hand and by my wisdom I did this,
For I have understanding;
And I removed the boundaries of the peoples
And plundered their treasures,
And like a mighty man I brought down their inhabitants,

      14And my hand reached to the riches of the peoples like a nest,
And as one gathers abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth;
And there was not one that flapped its wing or opened its beak or chirped.”

      15Is the axe to boast itself over the one who chops with it?
Is the saw to exalt itself over the one who wields it?
That would be like a club wielding those who lift it,
Or like a rod lifting him who is not wood.

      16Therefore the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will send a wasting disease among his stout warriors;
And under his glory a fire will be kindled like a burning flame.

      17And the light of Israel will become a fire and his Holy One a flame,
And it will burn and devour his thorns and his briars in a single day.

      18And He will destroy the glory of his forest and of his fruitful garden, both soul and body,
And it will be as when a sick man wastes away.

      19And the rest of the trees of his forest will be so small in number
That a child could write them down.

A Remnant Will Return

      20Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel.

      21A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

      22For though your people, O Israel, may be like the sand of the sea,
Only a remnant within them will return;
A destruction is determined, overflowing with righteousness.

23For a complete destruction, one that is decreed, the Lord GOD of hosts will execute in the midst of the whole land.

      24Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, “O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did. 25“For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction.” 26The LORD of hosts will arouse a scourge against him like the slaughter of Midian at the rock of Oreb; and His staff will be over the sea and He will lift it up the way He did in Egypt. 27So it will be in that day, that his burden will be removed from your shoulders and his yoke from your neck, and the yoke will be broken because of fatness.

      28He has come against Aiath,
He has passed through Migron;
At Michmash he deposited his baggage.

      29They have gone through the pass, saying,
“Geba will be our lodging place.”
Ramah is terrified, and Gibeah of Saul has fled away.

      30Cry aloud with your voice, O daughter of Gallim!
Pay attention, Laishah and wretched Anathoth!

      31Madmenah has fled.
The inhabitants of Gebim have sought refuge.

      32Yet today he will halt at Nob;
He shakes his fist at the mountain of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.

      33Behold, the Lord, the GOD of hosts, will lop off the boughs with a terrible crash;
Those also who are tall in stature will be cut down
And those who are lofty will be abased.

      34He will cut down the thickets of the forest with an iron axe,
And Lebanon will fall by the Mighty One.

We can find great hope and encouragement in these words as well as a stout warning against straying from God and His ways. Consider verses 24-25:

24Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts, “O My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear the Assyrian who strikes you with the rod and lifts up his staff against you, the way Egypt did. 25“For in a very little while My indignation against you will be spent and My anger will be directed to their destruction.”

When you find yourself receiving discipline and correction from our Father, be encouraged. If you turn to Him with all your heart, His indignation against you will only last a little while. Then He will restore you, just as we would a loving parent to their child.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You that You are slow to anger. You are patient and loving and kind with Your people. Help us to be tuned in and listen well as the Spirit guides. Help us not to stray from You. If we do, thank You that You have made a way for us to be forgiven and reconciled through Yeshua. Thank You that You will give us the discipline we need but also invite us back to right relationship with You. Thank You that Your indignation will only last a little while. Your grace and mercy and forgiveness are enduring. Praise You in all things and all situations! We pray this in the name of Yeshua. Amen. 

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.

Encouragement, Hope, Peace / Rest, Prophecy, Through Prophets

People Who Walk in Darkness See a Great Light

Isaiah prophecies of the coming of the Messiah in chapter 9. It is an uplifting picture of a great light coming to help those who are walking in darkness to see. As we read the scripture, we can rejoice in that we already know Messiah has come. We know He has brought light into the world. He walked among us, taught us, left a record for us. Then He died for our sins and rose from the dead. He walked among us again for a while with many witnesses and then returned to the Father so that the Holy Spirit would come to dwell inside of us. Wow! Dwell on that as you read, and you should be even more joyful than those who heard Isaiah’s prophecy so long ago.

Isaiah 9

Birth and Reign of the Prince of Peace

      1But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

      2The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.

      3You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.

      4For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.

      5For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

      6For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

      7There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

Take a few moments to peacefully and quietly reflect on this before God. What has your attitude been toward this wonderful news of Messiah? Have you found great joy? Have you perhaps taken it for granted, not fully embracing the significance of it? Have you fully embraced Messiah in all aspects of your life? It certainly seems hard to do at times.

As we truly walk with Him, we should experience joy and gladness. We should not have a heavy burden. Embrace Yeshua as Messiah today.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank You for sending Messiah to be the great Light to the world. Thank You for calling me to relationship with You through Yeshua. Thank you for the hope and peace that comes when I truly and fully embrace who You are and who I am in You. Thank You for the encouragement when I dwell on the names of God: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. I pray this in the name of Yeshua our Messiah. Amen. 

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

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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.

Church / Body of Christ, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Hope, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Joy / Happiness / Rejoicing, Peace / Rest, Prophecy, Through Prophets

Joy, Peace and Hope Are Available

Yeshua came not only for the Jews but for the Gentiles also. No matter our lineage and ancestors, Yeshua came and died for us. All who seek Him wholeheartedly can be joined together as the family of Yahweh, accepting one another to His glory. It matters not from which city or country we come. All are welcome.  All may seek to be filled with joy and peace in believing, so that they will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:7-21

  7Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 8For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers,

9and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,
“THEREFORE I WILL GIVE PRAISE TO YOU AMONG THE GENTILES,
AND I WILL SING TO YOUR NAME.”

10Again he says,
“REJOICE, O GENTILES, WITH HIS PEOPLE.”

11And again,
“PRAISE THE LORD ALL YOU GENTILES,
AND LET ALL THE PEOPLES PRAISE HIM.”

12Again Isaiah says,
“THERE SHALL COME THE ROOT OF JESSE,
AND HE WHO ARISES TO RULE OVER THE GENTILES,
IN HIM SHALL THE GENTILES HOPE.”

13Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

     14And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. 15But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. 18For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation;

21but as it is written,
“THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE,
AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.”

Reflecting on the scripture we also see how Paul, consistent with Jesus, points back the Old Testament scripture and demonstrates the consistency of God’s plans that were laid out in the Old Testament and are completely consistent with the continuation of His relationship with His people revealed through the New Testament. We see Paul teach about Christ by pointing back to Isaiah. Jesus’ life and death were not a surprise change of plans where God stopped one plan and created another. God wants to reach out to the Gentiles as well as the Jews. He makes no mistakes and knows everything even in advance. We should find great comfort in knowing God is in control and is never surprised. He never needs to change His plan based on new information. He had one perfect plan and we continue to have the chance to be part of it by discipling ourselves after Jesus Christ.

As we study, let us also not overlook the message within. Let us seek to be filled with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank you for Your word and those who help teach it with righteousness and passion, like Paul. Thank You for reaching out to the Gentiles and please continue to reach out to the Jews as well to draw them to You through Messiah. I pray Your people would be filled with joy and peace that would lead to hope abounding in us… hope not of our own making but of the power of the Holy Spirit! I pray this in the name of Yeshua, our Messiah. Amen. 

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.

Father / Yahweh, Grace / Forgiveness, Hope, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Peace / Rest, Suffering / Adversity

Can We Truly Have Peace and Rejoice During Difficulties?

How many of us naturally maintain a peaceful attitude even in difficult times? Some of us, some of the time? How many of us actually rejoice in our tribulations? Anyone… anyone? Not many, I suppose. However, this is precisely what Paul tells us about living a life submitted to Yeshua. What an amazing statement!

Yeshua is the only way to the Father. We come to know the Father through Yeshua and we can be reconciled with the Father by accepting Yeshua as Lord, asking forgiveness and repenting from our wrong ways. Yeshua was without sin and took our punishment. He died on the cross and rose from the dead. Because of His sacrifice, we can be forgiven and live in right relationship with our heavenly Father. A healthy relationship with our Father powerfully transforms our lives, if we embrace it.

In part, our peace comes through justification by faith. We don’t have to earn forgiveness from our sin by living to some perfect standard, constantly striving for perfection. We should still do our best to obey God, because we love Him!

Romans 5:1-5

      1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Since submitting my life to Yeshua and making Him lord of my life I have certainly felt the Holy Spirit lead me to become better and better at living in peace regardless of circumstances. I still have a way to go. Sometimes I still allow circumstances to deflate my peace. I am definitely not yet exulting in my tribulations yet, but I am less frustrated by them.

Paul’s attitude is inspiring considering the truly difficult things he faced for his faith in Yeshua… beatings, jail, whipping, shipwrecks, stoning, and on and on. He points out how our heavenly Father can even use bad circumstances to help us get better and better at honoring and glorifying Him no matter what the circumstances we find ourselves in.

I encourage each of you to join me in prayer asking our Father to help us as disciples of Yeshua to rejoice even in tribulation, recognizing how He can use those circumstances to build our character and strengthen our hope in Him.

Father, thank You for Your written word to lead and guide us. Thank You for justification by grace that we don’t have to try to achieve it ourselves through our actions. Please forgive our sin. Help us to have peace consistently and to rejoice in our tribulation as it helps grow our character to become more like You want us to be. Amen. 

Shalom

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.