GOD WORKS THROUGH WHOEVER HE DESIRES TO Thus says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed:  “I will go before you and level the exalted places, I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron,  I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the LORD, the God of Israel, who call you by your name.  For the sake of my servant Jacob, and…

GOD LOVES YOU FOREVER! Let those who fear the LORD say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” —Psalm 118:4             Praise God for His forever enduring love to those who fear Him!  Brother and sister our God loves us more than we can fully comprehend.  In the familiar verse John 3:16 we are told that God “so loved” that He gave His only Son.  God “so loves” you.  How much does He love you?  The eternal Son of God died for you!  How much does He love you?  “God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming…

BE STRENGTHENED BY OUR LORD GOD ALMIGHTY  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;  but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. —Isaiah 40:29-31 The LORD is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him. —Exodus 15:2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not…

DEATH COMES TO ALL! Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. —Psalm 116:15 Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’ —Ezekiel 33:11             This is a fact of life that we all have to face— we will all die one day.  150,000 die everyday world-wide.  One day you and I will be included in that number!  It is eternally wise to be ready for that day. …

OUR AWESOME GOD! You turn things upside down! Shall the potter be regarded as the clay, that the thing made should say of its maker, “He did not make me”; or the thing formed say of him who formed it, “He has no understanding”?—29:16 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who…

PEACE You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock. —Isaiah 26:3-4             People want peace from war, from conflicts of any sorts.  Only the wicked in heart truly want conflict and seek the destruction of others.  From the beginning of time there was only one time frame where absolute world peace reigned on earth.  That was before Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin and death entered the world.  Since then world peace has not been known.  There has always been conflict since then.  It started immediately with conflict…

NOT HOPELESS, BUT HOPEFUL “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” —Isaiah 22:13 If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” —I Corinthians 15:32             Here’s a fatalistic, hopeless, purposeless view of life.  Why not live for the senses if that is all life is about?  If we hope not in anything but this life then let us live it up to the fullest selfish pleasures as possible as we define them.  If we have no more purpose in life than a rock then why not look at for our own needs and enjoy life to our own heart’s content?  Short lived…

FEAR NOT!  For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.  He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD. —Psalm 112:6-7             We have the righteousness of God through Christ (Romans 3:22; II Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 3:9) and we will never be moved.  We are eternally secure in His righteousness and will be remembered forever.  Brother and sister in our Lord Jesus Christ, we are so fortunate!             Why should we fear even bad news on this planet or in this life?  This is quickly passing away and we will be in our heavenly home.  Bad news cannot break the security…

GREAT ARE HIS WORKS! Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression. —Isaiah 10:1 There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. —11:1 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them. —Psalm 111:2             It started with the false statements about Jesus during His three year ministry among us.  Those opposing Him made false accusations about Him, sinful accusations, and blasphemous accusations against the King of kings.  Whether in writing or communicated verbally, sinful communications were made about Jesus, accusations that would lead to His death…

GOD IS PERFECT IN JUSTICE, MAN IS NOT But the LORD of hosts is exalted in justice, and the Holy God shows himself holy in righteousness. —Isaiah 5:16 Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!  Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink,  who acquit the guilty for a bribe, and deprive the innocent of his right! —Isaiah 5:20-23  If you are not firm in faith, you will not be…