Isaiah 58:9-10

Then you shall cry out, and God will hear you. While you are still speaking, He will say, ‘Behold, I am here.’ If you take away your fetter and the pointing of the finger, and the word of grumbling, and if you give bread to the hungry from your soul, and satisfy the humble soul, then your light shall rise up in the darkness, and your darkness shall be as midday.

Personal Challenge

God truly does want the best for us. He wants everything to be returned to how He created it before we broke it with our sin. However, in His love for mankind, He patiently waits for more of us to turn to Him and to do what glorifies Him. If we cry out to Him, He hears us and runs to us as the father of the prodigal son did. If we stop living the way that the world wants us to and start treating our brothers and sisters with love and mercy, we will see His light shine through us. We must give our all to Him. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Isaiah 58:3-8

saying, ‘Why have we fasted, but You did not see it? Why have we humbled our souls, but You did not know it?’ Because in the days of your fasts, you seek your own wills, and mistreat those under your authority. If you fast for condemnations and quarrels, and strike a humble man with your fists, why do you fast to Me as you do today, so your voice may be heard in crying? I did not choose this fast, and such a day for a man to humble his soul; nor if you should bow your neck like a ring and spread sackcloth and ashes under yourself, could you thus call such a fast acceptable. I did not choose such a fast,” says the Lord; “rather, loose every bond of wrongdoing; untie the knots of violent dealings; cancel the debts of the oppressed; and tear apart every unjust contract. Break your bread for the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house. If you see a naked man, clothe him, nor shall you disregard your offspring in your own household. Then your light shall break forth as the morning, and your healing shall spring forth quickly. Your righteousness shall go before you, and the glory of God shall cover you.”

Personal Challenge

How many times have we called out to God asking why He has abandoned us and laid out all of the wonderful spiritual things that we are doing? I know that I have done this, just to be reminded by Him that it is not the number of times that I go to church or the piety of my prostrations or the completeness of my fasting that He cares about. He cares about the state of my heart and the actions towards Him and those around me which flow from that state. If I am being mean and nasty toward those around me, then my heart is mean and nasty, if I am hoarding the wealth that He bestows upon me and not taking care of those in need, then my heart is hoarding the things of this earth. God wants my love. He wants my actions to be filled with love. He wants me, not my empty sacrifices. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Isaiah 57:15

The Lord, the Most High who dwells on high forever, the Holy One among His saints, whose name is the Lord Most High, who rests among His saints, and who gives patience to the fainthearted and life to the broken-hearted, says this:

Encouraging Words

Our God has many names that define so many of His characteristics. Some of them are in this verse. They are, the Lord, the Most High, He who dwells forever, the Holy One, Lord Most High, lives and rests among His saints, the giver of patience to the fainthearted, the giver of life to the broken-hearted. He is our God and He loves us.

NOT RETURN VOID

Isaiah 55:10-11

For as rain comes down, or snow from heaven, and does not return until it saturates the earth, and it brings forth and produces, and gives seed to the sower and bread for food, so shall My word be, whatever proceeds from My mouth. It shall not return until it accomplishes whatever I willed, and I shall prosper your ways and My commandments.

Encouraging Words

We have a very powerful promise here from God. He pours out His living Word on all of the population. He makes the love and sacrifice of His Son available to everyone. And He promises that it will not return to Him until it accomplishes that which He wants to accomplish. We can claim this promise on behalf of our loved ones who have grown up hearing and knowing the truth, yet who have chosen to walk away from Him. God will always puya it. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Isaiah 55:8-9

“For My counsels are not as your counsels, neither are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “But as heaven is distant from earth, so is My way distant from your ways, and your thoughts from My mind.”

Personal Challenge

No matter how educated we may become, how much wealth we may acquire, how much power we may seize, we are still temporal and unable to compare to God. We may seek the counsels of other people, especially those who agree with us, but God’s counsel far exceeds theirs. His ways are so much farther above the ways of man. We must always yield to Him and pursue Him if we desire to see Him in our lives. Glory be to God!

Isaiah 55:1-2

“You who are thirsty, go to the water, and all who have no money, go and buy wine and fat, and eat and drink without money and price. Why do you value at the price of money, and give your toil for what does not satisfy? Listen to Me and eat good things, and your soul will delight in good things.”

Personal Challenge

The affluence of our culture has made it difficult for us to value that which is really the most valuable, our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him, we do not need the stuff of this world to quench our thirst or satisfy our hunger. These temporal things quickly fade away. It is only in Jesus that our soul is truly satisfied and enriched. It is in Him that we can really appreciate the temporal gifts that He has made us stewards over. Glory be to God!

Isaiah 45:25

All the seed of the children of Israel shall be made righteous by the Lord, and glorified in God.

Encouraging Words

We put our hope, all of it, in God. To do anything less is to dilute our relationship with Him and His power in our lives. One aspect of this hope is that one day we will be made righteous by Him and through that righteousness glorified in Him. Righteousness is not something that we can achieve or acquire on our own. It is bestowed upon us in His love for us. Glory be to God!

Isaiah 43:18

“Do not remember the former things, nor reason about the things of old.”

Encouraging Words

What a perfect verse for January 1, 2021! It has been quite a year, a year to forget, and a year that we will always remember. It is so important that we learn from our past, but it does not do us any good to dwell upon it and let it control us. It is also important to not invest too much of ourselves focusing on the future, for we cannot make it happen just as we cannot change the past. Today is what we have before us and today is the day that we can glorify God and love our neighbor. Goodbye to 2020 and hello to our new day. Glory be to God!

Isaiah 43:1-2

And now, thus says the Lord God who made you, O Jacob, and who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I redeemed you. I called you by your name, for you are Mine. If you pass through water, I am with you; and the rivers shall not overflow you. If you pass through fire, you shall not be burned up, nor shall the flame consume you.”

Encouraging Words

As followers of Christ, we are members of His Church. His Bride. It is our God who formed and made us. He has called us by name because we are His. No matter what trials and tribulations we pass through, He will not let us be over­whelmed or overtaken. Glory be to God!