What Have We Forgotten About Worship? Isaiah 12:5

Few of us think much about worship.

Worship may be one of the most important things we do, yet we do not realize how much is implied in the simple act, or how many truths we are expressing. Could it be that worship is the very point of it all?

"Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world." Isaiah 12:5.

SING

Singing is often thought of as a form of entertainment and an art form, but here it is an act of celebration. When you sing to someone you honor them and are showing that you value them.  When you sing the national anthem of your country you are celebrating, honoring, and declaring your relationship to your country.

HAS DONE

God has done many wonderful and blessed things in each of our lives. He has given us life and a measure of health and a measure of prosperity. Without focusing on the past we want to remember that we are in debt to the past mercies and glories of God. We should reflect on the great things he has done for us each as individuals and as a community.

GLORIOUS THINGS

His greatest blessing is that he sent his only unique son to be the sacrifice for our sin and pay our debt before his holy justice.

LET THIS BE KNOWN

The verse suggests that worship is a proactive act of proclaiming. We should not be silent, it is just wrong. God has done so much good for each of us we have a moral obligation to communicate to one another. For example, if we were publishing an article we would credit sources or if we were producing a movie we would list the names of all those who supported the project. How much more should we give God the credit that is His for what He has done in our lives?

ALL THE WORLD

This verse starts with a singular voice as if it was speaking to an individual, (the command to sing), and we experience scripture speaking to us individually because it is living, but the verse moves to a sense of the plurality in declaring to the world the deeds of the Lord.

First, we are singing to the Lord, then we are giving testimony to those around us. His greatness, grace, and mercy are worthy of telling to the nations. He is worthy of global praise.

Many faiths are obedient to the command to spread the Good News to the nations. Of course, we want to spread His kingdom and see souls rescued from the bondage and judgment of sin. Part of spreading the kingdom is spreading the worship.

Let us all follow that model of giving God private personal worship personally and then faithfully declaring to others his glorious deeds.

To learn how you may know God and find eternal life follow THIS LINK.
(c)Adron Dozat 4/14/16

Where can I Find Peace Of Mind?

We have troubles and worries that follow us like hungry wolves lurking to slaughter any joy. Where can we find peace for our mind?

"You will keep him in perfect peace him whose mind is stayed on you, because he trust in you." Isaiah 26:3

PERFECT PEACE

God promises not just peace but perfect peace. If it is perfect it will be complete and cover all areas, it will override all issues. It will be much bigger than all of our worries.

MIND IS STAYED

This is not positive thinking but disciplined thinking. When worries nibble at the edges of our thoughts we must not allow their pestering to entangle our minds. Instead, we must bring our thoughts back to The Almighty.

STAYED ON YOU
We may find a measure of peace in a beautiful sunset over tranquil seas, a lover's embrace, or other experiences, but these are temporary and subject to circumstances. When we keep our thoughts regularly on the Lord God Almighty we will experience His peace.

BECAUSE
When you meditate on God frequently and learn about Him in His Word, the Bible, you will discover how much you can trust Him. There is no one higher than the Creator of the Universe and if you have a relationship with Him established on trusting in His promises from His Word then what is there to worry about?  The world may still fall apart around you but you will have a peace that will make others wonder.

Keep your mind on the Lord: make it a habit to set your mind on God by reading His Word, prayer, and being in his presence- you will learn to trust Him and you will experience perfect peace.

KNOW THE LORD
If you do not know the Lord in a personal way and want to learn more see my other blog.

(c) Adron 3/6/14

Can We Understand God? Isaiah 55:7-8

Since man is finite and God must be infinite can the finite man understand the Infinite God?

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:7-8.

DIFFERENT
God's thoughts and ways are not ours; they are so different that there is no comparison. If we use our ways to try to understand His ways we will miss the mark.

HIGHER
To say God's ways are higher suggests so many things...
     * His ways are nobler.
     * More righteous.
     * More holy.
     * Wiser.
     * Purer.
     * More purposeful.

If God's ways are different and higher we must not apply our standards and logic to him, because no matter how lofty we are we will still fall short.

CAN WE KNOW?
If a man is to know God then it is not on the basis of man's discovery of Him but on the basis of God's revealing of himself to man. Since man, the finite, cannot make himself infinite so we cannot become capable of knowing God, therefore the Infinite God must become finite, (God must be able to become finite or else he is not truly infinite.)

DID GOD?
God has spoken to mankind, the Bible says, "In the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the universe. The son is the radiance of God's glory, and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he provided purification for sins he sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven." Hebrews 1:1-3

We can understand God because he came to us in the flesh and as Christ, he did what we could not do so that through Christ we can know the Father.

To learn more about coming to God through Christ see the tab above titled Salvation.

(c) Adron 12/31/13

Where Is There Hope In These Dark Times? Isaiah 35:4

It seems like the people of faith are on the retreat.

People of faith may be justified in feeling like the world is falling further into darkness and our lives are near ruin. There are many reasons to be afraid. An intellegent person would look at the world around us and have good cause to be concerned. But must we live in fear? Is there really no hope? 

"Say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong do not fear! Your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you." Isaiah 35:4.

BE STRONG

There is more than one kind of strength. This is not the strength for battle but the strength to wait. If God commands us to be strong then it must be possible. You do not need to feel that you will never be strong enough to endure.

DO NOT FEAR

Isaiah 35:4

Fear makes us weak in battle. It may cause us to act in haste. It may cause us to run when we should stand firm.

YOUR GOD WILL COME

Jesus was the earthly manifestation of God, and he came to pay for our sins and give eternal life to those who believe. He will return as earth's judge but we who have believed in Him have great hope of deliverance from the sinfulness of this age. Since he "will come" is repeated three times means that there is no doubt and it is sure.

TO SAVE YOU

Jesus promised to return and his kingdom of peace will be established. Those who trust in his work on their behalf will be saved out of darkness and judgment.

We do not need to wonder if we have the strength to save ourselves or to protect those we love. There is one who is infinitely stronger than all our troubles and He promises to deliver us.  

When the world is against you do not act in haste and do not flee, compromise, or give up. Instead, stand fast and wait for the Lord- He will deliver you.

To learn more about the plan of salvation see my other blog.

How To Win The Esteem Of Others

We all want the esteem of friends, spouses, or parents.

We want them to see us as special, and sometimes, we will do anything for them to see us that way, no matter the cost.

“’ Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?’ Declares the Lord.‘This is the one I will esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.’” Isaiah 66:2, NIV.

ESTEEM

To esteem is to have high regard, value, and respect for something.

The high esteem of God is better than the esteem of the whole world. God gives a list of what he is looking for in the one he will esteem highly.

HUMBLE

Humble is to be lowly and put others ahead of yourself in thought and action.

CONTRITE IN SPIRIT
Contrite in spirit is to willfully be deeply sorry for wrongs.

TREMBLES AT MY WORD
The person who trembles at God's Word recognizes its truth and power, the Bible, and responds with awe and reverential fear.

WHO
Who is any of these things?
     * We should pray to be.
     * We should decide to put others first.
     * We should resolve to be humble.
     * We should recognize and repent of our sins.
     * We should learn God’s Word.

GOD'S ESTEEM
To earn God's regard would encompass all other ambitions; if you win the esteem of God, you will have it from the one whose esteem is most important. It would be nice to have the esteem of the rich, powerful, and famous people, but God's esteem is better. It would be better to have God’s esteem than to be the head of state, industry, or to have wealth, fame, or fortune.

What God esteems is the opposite of what man esteems. We admire the one who is powerful, good-looking, smart, talented, speaks well, etc. On the other hand, the God of Heaven looks on the "humble and contrite in spirit who trembles at his word." That could be a grandma, a single parent in poverty, a gas station attendant, or a cashier, or just the guy up the street. You would never know by looking.

THE ESTEEM OF OTHERS
If you are the kind of humble, self-sacrificing person that God esteems, you will be the kind of giving, serving, good citizen who is full of kindness and does good works the people around you will esteem.

To learn how you can know God in a personal way, follow this link: Click here.

(c) Adron 7/23/13

Is There Hope For When We Despair and Mourn?

Bad things happen, and we suffer loss and personal disaster when they do. We look for hope and meaning in our time of darkness. Where is it?

"To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory." Isaiah 61:3. NLT.

These beautiful words of hope and promise come from Isaiah. They were a promise to a select people, but now we understand the One True God loves all people, and He may grant blessings to whomever He will.

HE WILL GIVE
We look for comfort, but it is not found in our efforts. Instead, it comes when we bring God into view. We start with the awareness that God is purposeful and his purposes are good.

ASHES
Ashes symbolized extreme sorrow. It was the ancient custom to toss ashes onto one's head during grief. The Lord says he will exchange the ashes of sorrow for a crown, meaning the time of mourning will be gone. Instead of mourning, it will be a festival party of honor.

RIGHTEOUSNESS
We cannot make ourselves righteous, but God gives it. The great oak is a wonderful picture of strength, beauty, and purpose. When we come to God to receive the blessing of righteousness, we also find these other blessings.

BLESSING
This Bible verse illustrates God's desire to bless, comfort, and heal. We are in a sinful world of rebellion and are far from God, but he sent a message of hope through the prophet Isaiah.

COME TO BLESSING
We cannot reach up and find God, but he did what we could not do and sent his Son to do for us what we could not do ourselves.

Centuries after the verse was written, the fulfillment began; Jesus came to show the way to the blessings of God. Christ said, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."* He also said, "I am the truth, the way, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me."* Paul the Apostle said of him, "There is only one God and one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus."* When we come to God through Jesus, we come to new life and blessing

(c)Adron Dozat 7/22/13

Why Does God Hide From People?

Why does it seem that God is so far away? Is he not willing to help?

“Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear 2. But your iniquities have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:1-2, NIV.

POWER VS WILL

Of course, God is able. He is all-powerful, and as Ruler of the universe, He can command all circumstances. "His arm is not too short." He can reach down from heaven into the mess of our world and do whatever is necessary.

He can hear us calling to Him, for "his ear is not too dull to hear." The last part, "he will not hear, " is frightening." If it was a matter of God not being able, we could shout louder, send up darker smoke signals, or clang a gong, but if he "will not," then we have no hope.

US VS GOD

Why does God refuse to act? Our iniquities (sins) have hidden us from God, and our "sins have hidden his face" from us. When someone is offended, they may turn away from you on purpose. Our sin causes God to do just that. God is holy and pure; He cannot allow His holiness or purity to be tarnished or compromised by sin. Sin is the big barrier between God and us.

FORGIVENESS

Redemption, the forgiveness of sin, and salvation are through the person and work of Jesus, who laid down his life to take away the punishment of sin. God, the Judge of the universe, put our sins on Jesus for us. We come to God through Jesus and obtain forgiveness and peace.

CLEAN

We need cleansing. As we walk through this lost world, our lives are affected by sin around us, and we slip into sin. If we neglect daily confession and repentance, God and His blessings seem far away.

God asks us to do so little.

     • We must recognize what is sinful.
     • We must confess and admit to God we are wrong.
     • We must turn away from our sin.
     • We must accept his forgiveness based on the sacrifice of His Son on the cross.
     • And get on with life with Him in it.

Through faith, we can know God face to face.

To learn more about cleansing your sins, follow this link: Salvation.

(c)Adron Dozat 7/4/2013

Is God Too Far Away?

If God is so high and lofty, is he too far away for the everyday guy to know Him?

"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 revive the heart of the contrite.'"  Isaiah 57:15, NIV.

THE PROBLEM
God is high, eternal, holy, and lives in a high and lofty place. Essentially, God is beyond reach in every sense.

• He is beyond reach in status since He is the high and lofty one.
• He is beyond time since he lives forever.
• He is beyond sinners because he is holy. 
• He is beyond the physical world because he lives in a high and holy place.

We can't get to him who is so far above us.

BUT GOD
There is hope for God to say, "but also with him..." God is far above us, yet He chooses to live with the contrite and lowly in spirit.  We cannot reach up to Him, so He reaches down to us.

CONTRITE
To be contrite is to be worn out by our sins; it suggests repentance, remorse, and it confesses we are unworthy.  It is based on the truth that we are needy sinners before a holy God.

LOWLY
The "lowly in spirit" refers to the inability to overcome one's needs.  We can't lift ourselves up above the effects of sin.  We recognize we are lower than God, and because of our sin, we forfeit any and all rights before Holy God and must bear the punishment.

WOW!
The Almighty lives with lowly people who turn from sin.  Intellectuals, Nobel Prize winners, millionaires, or the famous, alone do not qualify for God;  He lives with the down and out, the forgotten little people, who flunked out, and the people of social poverty who live on the edge of despair.

He just doesn't visit; He moves in, He has the master bedroom, the keys, and His name is on the mortgage. He lives here!

REVIVE
To "revive" is to breathe life into the dead. Jesus called it "Born Again."*  God desires to revive our spirits and our hearts; though our hearts are broken through sorrow or loss, and our spirit is crushed, God wants to revive us.

We are dead in our sins, but when we humble ourselves and accept God's salvation, He comes to live with us, and He continues to revive us day by day. There are times when the trials of this life overwhelm us, but we can know God lives with the contrite and lowly, and we find He is there to revive us.

To learn more about salvation and having a new life, follow this link: Salvation.

* John 3:3
(c) Adron 6/8/13

Isaiah 57:15 Illustration. 
I live in a high and holy place
but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit...

What is God's Message For Me?

Does God have a message for us; is there something He is asking us to do?

"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk, without money and without cost."Isaiah 55:1. NIV.

COME
God Says, "come." four times. God wants us to come to Him.
We may sense a need in our lives,
     * It may be a deep hunger for some meaning,
     * It may be a sense of loneliness.
     * It may be a lack of joy in life.
For these and any other longings, we must come. Our biggest need is the need of salvation, and God offers it with a word- come.

God wants "all" to come, He makes no restrictions.  No matter who we are, what we have done, or what sin we are guilty of, He still beckons us to come.  All we need to do is to bring our need, our thirst.

WATERS
It not just to a fountain or a spring, but to the "waters."  These "waters" are many, deep, and offers satisfaction that far exceeds our need, like an ocean stretching across the horizon. These waters are no less than God himself.

WITHOUT MONEY
No matter how broke we are we can buy without "money," We can come empty-handed, and still buy. What can we give to God that will match the riches of salvation and fellowship with the Almighty? Salvation and its blessings are priceless; no man can earn it or deserve it, therefore, if any were to obtain salvation it must be by a gift of God.

WINE AND MILK
When we read, "wine and milk," we think of the wine of joy and the milk that completely nourishes, this is a picture of joy and satisfaction.

Put it all together, we can buy and eat," we can come to the "waters," and get the "wine and milk," these pictures speak of all our needs fulfilled, physical, emotional, and spiritual.

COST
Why is it, "without money and without cost?" Because Jesus already purchased our salvation by His death on the cross, and with salvation, he gives us all we need for life and Godliness.

God invites us to come to him to be saved and we must not stop coming to him, but always seek him to fulfill our needs and to find blessings.

If you want to know more about coming to God follow this link: Click Here.

(c)Adron Dozat

 

Does God Have a Purpose For Me?

Sometimes we feel like we are not getting anywhere in our lives, and we wonder if God has given up on us.

"Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hands." Isaiah 64:8, NIV. 

LORD AND FATHER
The two names of God are comforting together. He is the Lord, the one who rules the universe and controls all circumstances. He is the mighty creator; with a word, he put galaxies in the correct place. He is awesome in authority and power.

God is a nurturing and caring Father, who protects and provides for his children. He corrects and trains his children; He considers our ways and best decides how to bring us to full spiritual adulthood. He is the father whose hand we may hold.

CLAY
This is a reminder that God formed man from the dust, (see Genesis 2:7). We are formed out of the common and ordinary. Dust is weak and the soil is a poor construction material.

We are the clay in God's hands. That which is common and little valued becomes a treasure when God puts his hand to it. He can form us and remake us to an object of beauty or service.

POTTER
The potter is a purposeful craftsman. He prepares the clay and equipment. He uses skill to accomplish his designs. The clay cannot resist the pressure of his hands. The clay will not look like anything when it is mined from the soil but when it yields to the potter it becomes beautiful. The potter knows the results and each step brings the clay toward completion.

WORK
God has a work plan for each of us. He is making us into a new image- the image of Christ, (see Galatians 4:19).  We might feel like we are spinning on a potter's wheel, covered with mud, being pushed and pulled this way and that but God is working. He has all power to complete his work, and he is the caring Father- he will not fail.

God made heaven and Earth by his command but when he works in our lives he touches us with his hands. So tender and gentle are His designs he will only accomplish it by his touch.

ACKNOWLEDGE
The verse above is a statement that acknowledges the truth. We must make it our truth and become soft clay in the Father's hand.

If you want to learn more about having a relationship with the father follow this link: Click Here.

(c)Adron Dozat

Five Surprising Truths About Prayer Isaiah 37:16-20

We want powerful prayers that get dramatic answers. There are some truths about prayer that may surprise us.

"And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth, You have made heaven and earth. Give ear, O lord and hear; open your eyes O Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to insult the living God. It is true. O Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands, Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand so that all kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are God." Isaiah 37:16-20

Because he was king of Israel he did not have any special privileges than the lowliest believer today does not have in greater abundance.  The same God who heard Hezekiah's prayer rules today.

Here are a few observations.

1. Prayer need not be long to be effective.  Considering the crisis, an invading army, impending destruction, enslavement, and death, the prayer is very short.  Most of us would have gone on and on and on just to make sure God got the message.
2. Prayer should include worship. The first part of this prayer is pure worship and had nothing to do with the request.
3. Prayer should be honest. God wants us to come to him in truth, Hezekiah doesn't pad the truth or play anything up he tells it simply.
4. Prayer request should be clear. The actual request is short and sweet. "Now O, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand..."  Most of us would have spent a long time saying that and filling in all our plans and details.
5. The Motivation is as much for the glory of God as for deliverance, "So that all the kingdoms on the earth may know that you alone, O Lord our God"

The answer to this simple prayer:

1. The Prophet Isaiah brought a special revelation to the king, vs 21 - 35.
2. The angel of the Lord put to death 185,000 men in the enemy camp in one night, vs 36.
3. The enemy leader, Sennacherib, broke camp and returned to Nineveh, and stayed there, vs 37.
4. One day while he was worshiping his pagan god his own sons slew him, vs 38.
5. And Sennacherib's sons became exiles, they did not inherit the throne and did not threaten Israel ever again, vs 38.

This was all because of a short humble prayer. May we learn to pray like Hezekiah.

To learn more about having a relationship with God follow this link to my other blog: Click Here.

(c) Adron Dozat 3/14/13

Does God Care When You Feel Alone?

Sometimes we feel alone in our struggles as if no one sees and no one cares. We wish someone will come alongside to give support.

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him." Isaiah 30:18, NIV.

This verse is taken from the Bible where The Lord describes future judgment, and then in the middle of doom and woe he says, 'yet...' it is a turning point where the heart of God shines through to give comfort and hope. Though his people have sinned and rebelled, "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious."  We cannot excuse sin and wrongs but in life's mess, but we can know that God longs to be gracious to us.

LONGS
To long for something is deeper than just a desire. It fills up your thoughts until everything else is pushed out; it is "a heart-deep preoccupation," or even an obsession. It is wonderful that God longs this way to be gracious to each of us.

GRACIOUS
One may see gracious as the forgiving kindness of God to those who are far from him. When God is gracious he is giving mercy to those who do not deserve it and love to those who are lost from love.

RISES
The Almighty is never complacent. From his heavenly throne he "rises" to show us compassion. Ancient kings always sat, you did not want to be in the room if the situation called for the king to stand up- it meant war or death. God doesn't just sit in heaven wallowing in mushy feelings- he acts.

COMPASSION
Compassion here seems to be love-inspired acts of kindness to those who are helpless. Who isn't helpless in some way? We all have hurt, or guilt, or have experienced injustice, but God longs to be gracious and compassionate to us.

WAIT
Many find it hard to apply faith in some situations; we may hurt too much, or face high mountains of difficulty. This verse ends with an encouragement, "Blessed are all who wait for him." The ancient passage quoted above may have referred to a coming Messiah, but we wait daily for victories small and great. We wait for the Lord to reveal himself in a situation, we wait for the Lord to answer prayer, and we wait for him to deliver us from a situation. We must not give up on God we must continue to hold on in faith; and according to the above promise, we will be blessed.

To learn more about finding God see my other post follow this link: Click Here.

(c)Adron Dozat 3/6/13

What to Do When You Can't Go On.

Sometimes life is so hard, we feel like we can't go through another day; maybe because we have experienced some tragedy, or we have been wronged, or because of health or financial issues. Everyone experiences the feeling at some time that they just can't go on.

"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."Isaiah 40:30, 31 NIV.

WE ARE WEAK
Human strength is not enough for many of the trials of daily life. Sometimes we are worn out and want to give up. Other times it is worst still, and we completely, "stumble and fall." We give in to despair or depression and make some desperate bad choice. No one is immune from feelings of wanting to give up.

There is wondrous encouragement in the words, "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." Our times are full of formulas, programs, and self-help books full of pop psychology; but this verse directs us simply to hope in the Lord. Here hope is a waiting while looking to God, and keeping our mind focused on God's character and the promise of his Word. When in a dire crisis what better hope than the Eternal Almighty Ruler of all things great and small? Why trade that for weak human strength?

PROMISE
This verse has a promise which is presented as a fact that, those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength." When we hope in the Lord it is like putting on a new person over our old one. When we hope in the Lord others will wonder where we get the strength to go on, and we will share their amazement.

SOAR
The contrast is beautiful- we go from stumbling and falling to "soar on wings like eagles!" When we hope in the Lord we will have an experience that is above the problems of our lives. When we hope in the Lord we can make the dash to victory and we can endure the long trek.

May your strength be renewed as you hope in the Lord today and always.

To learn more about finding God see my other post just follow this link: Click Here.

(c)Adron Dozat 3/2/13

____________________________

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Adron

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What Does The Bible Say About Fear?

We have many fears, They can cripple you emotionally and keep you from making progress in relationships, work, and life in general. Sometimes a fear looms up threatening our very existence.

"So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10, NIV.

OUR IDEA

What The Bible Says About Fear

God does not promise to take away the object of our fear. We want the easy way out as if God were a magic genie to grant wishes that we could use to remove the source of our fears. But God does not offer that instead, he offers himself.

FOUR STATEMENTS
There are two truths and two statements of assurance and comfort in this verse.
     * I am with you. (Truth.)
     * I am your God. (Truth.)
     * I will strengthen you. (Assurance.)
     * I will uphold you. (Assurance.)

The truths validate assurance.
He says, "I am with you." He is the companion we need during the trials. He promises to be there for us like a shoulder we can cry on in prayer.

He says, "I am your God," a reminder of the All-Powerful One who is committed to us.

He says, "I will strengthen you." If The Lord who makes mountains so strong gives us the strength we should be strong indeed and more than able.

He says, "I will uphold you." He upholds the universe and keeps stars in their places If he upholds us we can be confident that we will not fall. He upholds us by his righteous right hand. Something that is righteous is pure, holy, trustworthy, and unfailing. The right hand speaks to us of authority and strength. This is a reinforcement of the first three assurances.

God's promises to us are based on who he is. All four I statements are followed by the word you. If this verse were to be summarized it would be that God says, "I am for you in this."

TWO COMMANDS
This verse gives two commands. Do not fear and do not be dismayed. The Almighty commands us not to fear. Then he reassures us he is able and willing to be there to help, uphold and give victory.

Do not fear!



(c)Adron Dozat 2/22/13

Who Would Be the Perfect Choice for a Leader

What does the Bible say about the world's leaders? What would be the profile of the perfect leader?

"For to us a Child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Might God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time and on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." Isaiah 9:6 7, NIV*.

This is a prophecy of Jesus as the Ruling Savior, but it speaks to us today not just for the future when he will be King.

These verses describe the perfect world ruler, he has everything; he is wise, mighty, enduring, peaceful, prosperous, just and righteous.

If Jesus will be the perfect world ruler what about Jesus as my ruler, is he my King? The prophecy quoted above starts with, "For us..." He is not the king of mythology, or of a distant future, or of a spiritual kingdom we must wait to partake of after we die- then it could not be "for us..." Many say, "Yes, Jesus is my king," if he is our king we must obey him and learn his commands and more. We must him see as our "Everything King." This is not too radical since the verses quoted describe a king who is everything the world needs, let's remember that Jesus is our Everything Savoir.

Jesus made some statements where He reveals he is the satisfaction of every need:
     * "I am the bread of life," John 6:35.
     * "I am the Resurrection," John 11:25.
     * "I am the good Shepherd," John 10:10."
     * "I am the way the truth and the life." John 14:6.
These are just a few.

We must put Jesus in our lives in our need places. We should say Jesus is the king of my job or Lord of my family, but the next step is to make Jesus the fulfillment of that need; to say Jesus is my job satisfaction, or Jesus is the rewarding family life.

One may say Jesus is the lord of the body and health but he is more; we need to learn to say, "Jesus, you are my good health; all the blessings I might have had in a healthy body, I find in you."

One may say I do not have a rewarding job but instead should say, "Jesus you are my rewarding job. The satisfaction I would find in my job I find in you.

One may say, "I wish I lived in a better house," but instead should say, "Jesus, you are my house, the joy I would have had in a lovely home I find in you."

Jesus will be the perfect king of the earth when he returns and he is the perfect king of each of us who choose him now.

To learn more about how to make Jesus your savior and king follow this link: Click Here.

* To read this verse in other translations click this link: Isaiah 9:6

(c)Adron Dozat

Where You Can Go When You Need Someone To Hold Your Hand. Isaiah 41:13

Sometimes we reach out in desperation to find comfort, at those times it would be good just to have a hand to hold while we cry, mourn, or go through anguish.

"For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee 'Fear not; I will help thee.'" Isaiah 41:13. JKV.

GOD
This verse reminds us in triplicate just who is holding our hand, he says "I the Lord Thy God."  The Almighty is making a powerful point by the personal pronoun "I," He is not sending someone else, even the wisest, smartest and most caring person would fall far short of God who is always by your side, he is saying don't get it wrong it is Me coming for you. 

Second He is the "Lord," the sovereign; ruler and king of all, who has all authority and dominion; His every command is to be obeyed, He is the one who is coming to hold our hand.
Third He is "thy God," God is personal he wants us to know Him as our God, not just a god of a religion or a part of a creed he is our God.

RIGHT HAND
He will hold our "right hand" the hand that is for most people the dominant one: often stronger, but not only stronger it is more sensitive to touch more trained and in tune.  He holds the hand that most connects to who we are.  We may hold a hand while we walk on a dark and unfamiliar path, or while we cry, or receive bad news; God does not hold our hand only at one particular time, we may be confident his hand is available all the time we need him.

GOD COMFORTS
God is not silent in our grief, he has a message.  He is speaking but sometimes we are so self-absorbed (and understandably so) during our times of trial when we are suffering too much to hear His comfort.  Even if we don't hear them He still has words of comfort, guidance, and lessons in the times of our sorrow.

HELP
Here God speaks directly to our hurting hearts; He says "fear not. I will help thee."  If God says fear not then we can be confident and should not fear, after all, He is God.  He promises to help us, and this should give us much to rejoice in; we can look to and expect God to help us.

This verse expresses the willingness of God to comfort.  He desires to be our counselor, confident, and intimate.  He is holding out his hand for us to take and to experience his love.

(c)Adron Dozat 3/12/12

The Ancient Prophet Warns America. Isaiah 6:9-10.

We have gospel TV, radio, Bible bookstores in every community, innumerable religious organizations for good, and churches on every corner, but has it helped us gain God’s blessing as a nation? Or do they, in fact, draw us away from the truth and toward judgment?

“He said, ‘Go and tell this people: “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving. 10. Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.’” Isaiah 6:9-10. NIV.

BACKGROUND
These verses are from the passages where Isaiah receives his prophetic commission. He is told the people will hear but not hear, see but not see, and so they will not repent and forfeit healing. This judgment and warning apply to us today just as much- if not more- than in the days of ancient Israel. We see so much Gospel on TV, Internet and radio, we have bibles in most homes, and many of us can quote a few verses, we have churches on every corner but still, we are blind, calloused, and dull to righteousness and truth.

WARNING
Isaiah exposed their hardened hearts, and his words warn us that we, too, have calloused hearts and must beware. God says, “Go ahead be hardened to me, and deaf to my voice, and blind to my truth; go ahead. I will let you go all the way.”

TURN
They were warned, "Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." The action God asked of them was that they turn, they were going one way God said, 'Turn around and come back to me."

The opportunity was there but neglected. They chose to not see, to not hear, and to not turn. Their nation was destroyed, and they were taken as slaves and deported. We must not make their mistake.

Only the Lord can rescue us from blindness and judgment. May we pray for the Lord to open our eyes, ears, and hearts. May we see our sins and return and repent.

Your Friend

Adron

My Prayer For Our Nation.

Holy God, surely You are the God
Of all righteousness and truth.
Unbind our iron-wrapped eyes
To see our wrongs against Your love.
Clean our ears of the black crud
That blocks us from hearing Your word.
Demolition of our concrete hearts
And transplant tender organs.
Give us clear eyes that see Your truth.
Open our ears to hear Your words.
Grant us hearts that pump gentle love.
Take our dirty hands and turn us,
And place us on Your humble path.
May we soon enjoy Your healing,
And again, share the bright blessings
That flow from your gentle, sure hand.

(c) Adron 7/4/10

How To Have Peace In The Apocalypse. Isaiah 54:10. NIV

 No one knows if any of us will live to see the days of Great Tribulation, but many of us have our own personal ordeal.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10.

MOUNTAINS
We cannot imagine the mountains shaken and removed, they are the standard of permanence but even if they were scraped away God's love cannot be moved. It is to say God's love will outlast the mountains.

THE ALMIGHTY
Whatever your personal disaster the Almighty God of heaven and earth loves you and sees you. The highest mountains are weak compared to Gods love. His love will never erode or crumble; it is not affected by the forces of nature or our universe. His love is above our disaster and reaches down into it.

His love meets every challenge and it has overcome the greatest challenge- our sin and its judgment.

PEACE
The opposite of apocalypse is peace, and God offers us a “covenant of peace” through Jesus. The Bible says, “Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," (Romans 5:1). A covenant is a contract or promise; and that the God of heaven and earth makes a contract is the most solid promise there ever could be.

PROMISE
His promise of peace will stand high after the mountains are dissolved. Our part of the covenant is faith, we must trust in Jesus. Jesus came to rescue us from the personal individual apocalypse of eternity without God’s love. He came to deliver us from death and to give us eternal life. He bought that deliverance by his own blood on the cross for us. We may never have peace in this world and may experience disaster but we will have something far better- Peace with God.

If you are suffering through a personal tribulation and want to find the promise of peace that God offers through Jesus see my other blog.

(c) Adron

A prayer


Father God, I am powerless to fix this disaster.
I come to you in weakness, please give strength to my faith,
And I ask for deliverance, from my life and my sin.
I know Jesus came to bring peace, in my soul and with God.
I know his death on the cross pays for my sins,
Those sins have robbed me of peace with God
I accept Your covenant of peace through Jesus.
I trust Jesus as my Savior from this life.
I will obey You Father God, even though trials come.
I thank you for the peace You give me.

(c) Adron

____________________________

Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and an encouragement.  For more like this see the most popular post in the left sidebar, or use the search box above.  

Adron

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