Isaiah 56- Sabbath Observed

 

Three times in 6 verses God says that a sign of obedience is keeping the Sabbath.  Why is this observance minimized today?  Lord, give me wisdom to know and follow what You want me to do.

Isaiah 55- Sovereign Word

 

What a fantastic reminder of Gods sovereignty, power, purpose and will.  When God speaks the desired outcome is accomplished.  Whether that is bringing a universe into existence or drawing the unbeliever…at times this seems equally impossible…yet it is simple for our God!

Lord, grant me faith to trust you are at work changing me, and drawing those I love toward Your grace, mercy, love and peace!

Isaiah 54- Lovingkindness & Compassion

 

His passage is so powerful in describing the character of God.  It is hard to imagine how our culture can zero in on in on some Old Testament passages and declare God to be angry and vengeful…although there are passages where that can be seen, it is always after chapters and books of His patience, kindness and compassion…

Lord, thank you for Your compassion & lovingkindness!  We would be hopeless without it…help me to live in light of who You are!

Isaiah 53- Died for Me

 

Lord, Your plan was and is incredible, surprising and perfect.  That You would sen Jesus, Your Son, to take my place and that of every believer…is nearly incomprehensible.  Never has there been a demonstration of love more obvious than Your plan.  I am in awe of You!

Help me to live a life that brings You glory!

Isaiah 52- Protected & Known

 

Salvation comes only by the hand of God, through Jesus.  Gods presence and protection are one and the same for His children.

Lord, allow me to recognize your presence even when I am facing trials or experiencing fear of the future.

Isaiah 50- Reputation Shepherded

 

Self reliance is devastating…we have no control over anything in this world.  That is not so with God, He is sovereign, He is omnipotent, He is omnipresent, He is God.  Since we cannot rely on ourselves, we MUST rely on Him.  We must trust Him, believe Him, rest in Him, have faith in Him only.  That is the ONLY path to peace…

Isaiah 49- Waiting Hopefully

 

Lord God, strengthen my hope so that I can trust you are at work…even while I am waiting!  Carry out Your promise and save our kids…

Isaiah 48- Life from Obedience

 

This passage is such an encouragement reminding us all that Obedience is not just to hold down our sinful nature, but it is also the path to peace, blessing and success.

Lord, strengthen me to be obedient even in the smallest matter.  I want every aspect of my life to be reflecting Your glory!

Isaiah 46- Sovereign God

 

Who can say with confidence that everything they plan will be accomplished?  Only a Sovereign God…this chapter God is declaring exactly that.  He alone is unchanging, only He can bring about every purpose and singularly God can grant salvation.

How can we read Scripture and then have a small view of God?  He desires that we know Him, see Him accurately and fear Him.  He is not small, insignificant and silent like all the other tiny man made gods that we create in our imagination.  Lord, help me to live in light of Your glory!

Isaiah 45- Only God

 

10 times in this chapter alone God declares that He is the only God…it seems like that is something that doesn’t need to be said, but then I look at my own life and the culture around me…we so easily turn to entertainment, food, financial stability or our heath as the critical things that stabilize us.  They are the indicators of happiness for us…in other words, we have made those things gods…

Lord, help me to look only to You for contentment and trust You only for protection!

Isaiah 44- Blessed by God

 

The blessings we experience from God are too many to count, but this passage repeatedly reminds that we were chosen by Him, forgiven, provided for and intimately woven together by Jesus.  We are not wondering in the world dependent on our own ability…rather we were created for a purpose and blessed in millions of ways to accomplish His plan for us.

Isaiah 43- For HIS Sake

 

Over and over in this passage God declares that He has chosen, called, gathered or formed us.  He calls us his own, removes our sin and saves us…for HIS own sake.  This is just another passage littered with evidence that He loves us unconditionally, calls us and saves us because of who He is and if those are His motives, we can’t change that no matter what we do.

Lord, help me to live ever more devoted and surrendered to You because of Your incredible character…not any weaker reason like fear or efforts to prove my love.  Let me be as purely motivated by agape love as You are!!!

Isaiah 41- Completed Mission

 

What a powerful God who does all the work for us…

Isaiah 41- Gods Character

 

God encouraging His people in this section is declaring His character over and over.  Not just His character, but also how He has interacted with His people in the past…this also demonstrates how He interacts with you and I!

Lord help me to live out the reality that I am chosen, called and strengthened by You; that you are with me, are actively helping me and I don’t need to fear; that I am not rejected, forsaken or alone…but I am pursued and protected by the very hand of God!

Isaiah 40- Waiting for God

 

Why is Gods timing so much different than what I desire?  Isaiah suggests that He wants us to act on His strength not our own…He wants us to trust His plan, not be fixated with our own controlling efforts…He wants us to have a Birds Eye perspective rather than be stuck in the trees…He wants us to have Faith in Him.

Lord, help me to trust your timing, plan and ability!  We both know my plans are weak and failing…

Isaiah 38- Whole Hearted Obedience

 

Walking with God is not a part time deal, it is a whole time pursuit toward delighted obedience.

Isaiah 37- Gods Defense

 

What a privilege to be loved by the God who is able to defend us, protect us and save us!!!

Isaiah 36- Mocking God

 

This may have been the biggest mistake of the Assyrians to mock the LORD God.  To believe that God was the same as the gods of other nations…they pay for that in just another couple chapters when God send an angel to kill 185,000 of them in one night.

Lord, help me to trust, see and be confident in Your god-ness … that you are so far beyond what I know, and understand You to be.  Not only is nothing impossible for You, but there is no imaginable scenario where You are not sovereign.  All of the trial and temptations that I face, are as nothing in contrast to Your power!  Lord, help me to live as if that were true!!!

Isaiah 35- Jesus Reign

 

What a joyous time for His people when He returns!

Isaiah 34- Sovereign LORD

 

Even as God is meting out destruction, He is sovereignly and purposefully guiding the aftermath.  He has planned the beginning and the end of every trial to accomplish His will and transform His people.

Lord, help me to trust you in every stage of trial that You know and orchestrate all things for Your glory and our good growth.

Isaiah 33- Right Living

 

Early in this chapter God comes to dwell with His people, bringing justice, righteousness, stability, salvation, wisdom and knowledge…all established by “the fear of the LORD”.  Then this passage describes the confidence we can have as we follow Gods way…all because He will save us.

Isaiah 32- Spirits Work

 

We all long for justice, peace and security!  Yet everyday we look around and we are reminded that these things are in short supply around our world.  There are likely pockets of these around us where Gods Kingdom has broken through as His Church is displaying the fruit of the Spirit consistently.  Those are sweet places where this passage comes to life….but they are just moments, in a sea of chaos.

Lord, we long for Your return and for Your Spirit to be influencing everything we see.  Help me to live in a way that those around me may experience just a moment of Your peace, comfort and justice.

Isaiah 31- Rely on God ALONE

 

God is asking His people to rely only on Him, that includes me.  I am forced to look inside to understand where I am relying on my own skills, knowledge, experience or ability rather than having an unshakable confidence in Gods care of me.

It would be easy to expect that He will always keep me from harm or discomfort, but God sometimes uses those vary situations to shape me, mold me and conform me to be more like Jesus Christ!

Lord, help me to trust You and rely solely on Your provision, protection and power, so that I don’t depend on myself or any other weak thing…You alone are able to stand every trial!