12-08/9-2018 Take It Through The Week

Monday – Is. 43:19-21 When the God who created everything old, says He is about
to do something new, we better listen. Look at the world. If you see a stream flowing,
it has been carving it’s path for ages. The layers of erosion are very, very old. There
is not much new under the sun. Everything man invents comes from something God
created a long time ago. It is old. But here, in Isaiah God says He is about to do
something new, even now it is coming. What is He doing? A way in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert. He is talking about Jesus, the living water of life. Jesus, our way
when we are lost in the wilderness. Jesus, our river when we are stranded in the
desert. 700 years before Christ, God was telling the people of the Old Testament that
the New Testament was coming. A covenant based on mercy and grace. Why is that
new? Just look at the religions of today. They are all violent and cruel. They all will
resort to violence to make their point, especially Islam. These are the same old tired
ways man has used for centuries to approach God. What is the new way? Read
Romans 7:6. We may serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old letter of
the law. Indeed, we have been released from the law. Rather we are now justified in
God’s sight by faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit to change us from the inside
out. That is God’s something new that He talked about in Is. 43:19. Take a few
moments and thank God for the new way…Jesus.
Tuesday -Isaiah 49:8–9 It’s all good. Every word of this passage resonates in our
Spirit. I will answer…I will help…I will keep you…I will appoint you. Notice the
progression? When we call out to Him, He will answer. Not only that, He promises
that He will help. That means that our prayers will move Him to action on our behalf.
Then it says I will keep you. That’s really good news, because I tend to wander. I
tend to lose my focus. I need my God to keep me. The Psalmist says that God has
hemmed him in, before and behind. That means that God has fenced us in. Aren’t
you glad? He will answer…help…keep, and then, He will appoint. You who are
walking with the Lord will become someone who will say to prisoners: Come
out…Show yourselves. Your testimony of how God has answered…helped…kept…
and appointed you is the most powerful spiritual weapon in God’s arsenal. A believer
who has been with God, daily, is powerful in the battle for men’s souls. God promises
that you will feed along the pathways, and their pastures will be on all the barren
heights. Take a few moments and think about these promises. How will you apply
them in your life today?
Wednesday – Isaiah 49:1-12 When I first got to Tennessee I began to notice the
rock cliffs beside the roadways. Tons of rock and earth had been blasted apart and
moved to make the road’s foundation perfect. In doing so, the road never was too
steep, so that it was not dangerous to travel. It was also done, so that it would be
straighter and easier to get to your destination. In the same way, concerning spiritual
things, God says I will make My mountains into a road, and My highways will be
raised up. The plain and clear message is that God wants us to be able to come to
Him. Read Matthew 7:14. There is only one way to God, Jesus. There is no other
gate, door, or road that will get us to Him. Therefore He wants that one narrow road
to be straight and clear. He wants us to be successful in our journey toward Him. It is
very important that we understand just how much God loves us. He made the way
straight, and the road without too many curves. It’s Jesus. Nothing more, nothing
less, nothing else. Pray with me. Lord Jesus, You are Lord. You are God. You are
the Compassionate One. Please guide us and lead us to springs of water. May Your
highways be raised up. May the Nations of the world see a clear path to you for you
alone are God. In Jesus Name, Amen.
Thursday – Isaiah 49:14–16 We have all felt at times as though God has
abandoned me. The Lord has forgotten me. This prophetic passage says that Zion
(Israel) would someday feel that way. Have you ever seen a photo of the Jews
praying and weeping at the wailing wall in Jerusalem? They pray for the rebuilding of
the Temple. They are a people surrounded by millions of Arabs who hate them.
Many of the nations of the world would remove them from Palestine, if they could.
Just as prophesied, they feel abandoned, because they missed the visitation of the
Messiah. And yet, God says of Israel that He could never forget His chosen people.
Look, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands, your walls are continually
before Me. The Bible teaches us that Jerusalem will be restored. It will become the
city of God. And both the Jews who accept Christ and those Gentiles, who are born-
again, are not abandoned. Our future and our hope is secure in Christ. Our names
are literally written on the palm of His hands. That’s how much He loves us.
Friday – Isaiah 57:14-15 Remove every obstacle from My people’s way… This is
not just a statement, it is a command. God is speaking His heart, to His creation.
God has a plan for the nations. He rules the nations with an iron scepter. He moves
kings and presidents to follow His plan. And as God speaks His will to the nations,
His goal is to remove every obstacle from My people’s way. He wants to revive the
spirit of the lowly, and revive the heart of the oppressed. God has a special place in
His heart for humble, hurt people. The Bible communicates that love on nearly every
page. Isn’t it amazing that the God who created this world and steers it toward His
conclusion, is so plain-spoken? He speaks plainly when it comes to His love for the
unloved and the un-cared for. The more broken-hearted we are, the more He wants
to remove every obstacle from our way. Pray with me. God, I humble myself in your
mighty hands that you will lift me up in Your time. I am Yours. I submit myself to you
this day. In Jesus Name I pray, Ament
Saturday – Malachi 3:1–3 Do you feel like you are being purified? If you are a
believer in Christ, you are being made into something better and more useful for
Him. It is not a choice. If you are walking with Him, He will purify you and make you
change your mind about your life. It will become His and not yours. If you are not yet
a believer, then He will constantly be purifying the path you will take, to come to Him.
He will constantly be reaching out to you to call you and make you capable of
presenting offerings to the Lord in righteousness. He will place obstacles in your
path, that make you have to consider Him and His promises. He is not content to be
less than a refiner and purifier of silver. He may turn up the heat, in our lives, but He
will purify us and make us more like Him. Pray with me. Lord Jesus you are coming
again. You are coming to receive those who belong to You. I submit myself to you
and pray with all of my heart, purify me. Make me pleasing to You and Your
purposes. I need more of you in my life and less of me. Purify my heart and mind. I
want to know You and I want to make You known in Your world. Be exalted. In Jesus
Name I pray, Amen.