Isaiah 53

This was written around 700 BC, 700 years before Christ.

"Who has believed our message? To whom has the Lord revealed His powerful arm? My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about His appearance, nothing to attract us to Him. He was despised and rejected— a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for His own sins! But He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet He never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, He did not open His mouth. Unjustly condemned, He was led away. No one cared that He died without descendants, that His life was cut short in midstream. But He was struck down for the rebellion of My people. He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone. But He was buried like a criminal; He was put in a rich man’s grave. But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush Him and cause Him grief. Yet when His life is made an offering for sin, He will have many descendants. He will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in His hands. When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish, He will be satisfied. And because of His experience, My righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins. I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier, because He exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels."

If you know the life of Christ, you will be tempted to think that these verses were written after He died. They were not; they are a prediction. Is there any other person that so much had been written about that came so true. He is LORD! He is God! He is the one that SAVES!!

Rebellious Heart

Why do I read the bible so much? Why do I listen to all of the speakers, every chance that I get? I have to, I need the help. I cannot do this on my own. If I am left to myself, I will make a mockery of my life, of my family, of my God. Isaiah 48:8-11, "You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ear has not been open. Well do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth. For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to cut you off. See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another."

Even when I am surrounding myself with His words and His wisdom, I struggle. But I do not want to be that person any longer. I do not want to be a slave to this world. I know the heartache that comes with living "just as I please." There is no life there. The things that I used to rely on, feed me only bitter fruit. When I am only thinking about myself and what I want, my life is miserable. I hate living for myself. I cannot! What my flesh wants to do is have a little more to drink; take a little more time in the stupor of selfishness. But I know that if I allow myself to go there, my whole world would end as I know it today. Isaiah 47:10-11, "You felt secure in your wickedness. 'No one sees me.' you said. Your 'wisdom' and 'knowledge' have caused you to turn away from Me and claim, 'I am self-sufficient and not accountable to anyone!' So disaster will overtake you suddenly, and you won't be able to buy your way out. A catastrophe will arise so fast that you won't know what hit you."

The reason that I am so dedicated to study, is because I know how weak I am. I cannot go down that road again and I need Him to help me. I have tasted the sting of divorce. I know how hard it is to be addicted to a substance. I have felt the soul wrenching bite of sexual sin. I refuse to be dependent on myself any longer. I am weak and He is strong. With His help, I can live this life to the fullest. If it is left up to me, I will choose heartache every time, but with His help I will live for life. I must start my day with Him on my mind and open my heart to His bidding. I am a selfish person and I will tear my family apart, if I am left to myself. For many that one drink they desire can be the end of their family. That one sexual conquest will destroy everyone around you. That one fit that you feel you must have, will crush your loved ones. Stop turning to your desires, for your desires will only bring destruction. Turn all of your want to Christ and He will show you how fulfilled you can truly be.

Gift From God

You are my husband, my lover, my friend. I am so thankful for you. Do you know how proud I am of you. I love to tell people that you are my husband. I love that! When you enter the room my whole body lights up. You have fulfilled every desire that I have ever had. I love to be with you. God knew exactly what he was doing when he gave me you. I could not see just how much I needed you. I could not see just how much you would help me to heal. You have fulfilled every dream that I could have ever dreamed. You are the perfect man, my perfect husband, the one that was made just for me. I cannot imagine how my life would be without you. You came to me at just the right time. I am so thankful for you.

As the years pass and our boys get older, I am so thankful that you are the one they want to be like. I am constantly telling them they are going to grow up "just like you." I am so thankful that they want to be like you. We are all so blessed to have you leading our family. You guide us with your integrity and strength. You allow me to see what a real man is. You are the perfect man. If others would watch and learn from your example, they too could have such a blessed home. You have led our home with the strength of Christ, so that now there is true life in our home.

Thank you for helping me with the house. Thank you for helping me with dinner. Thank you for being a good father for our boys. Thank you for working so hard during the day, then putting work off at night for your family. Thank you for providing for me the best you can. Thank you for having a good reputation; I love having your name upon me. Thank you for not being lazy. Thank you for staying pure, even now. Thank you for having integrity. Thank you for being so strong. Thank you for loving me as Christ loves his church. Thank you for sacrificing yourself for me every day. Thank you for caring about my feelings. Thank you for holding me when I cry. Thank you for desiring only me. Thank you for doing your job well. Thank you for making love to me every day in the way you live, every day. Thank you for making it so easy for me to respect you. Thank you for being so steady. Thank you for continuing in your faithfulness.

Year after year, I fall more madly in love with you. You are my heavy lifter. You are my lover. You are better than the man of my dreams. You are the best man for raising my children. They are blessed to have you as their example. They are blessed to become like their father. You are truly a good man. Happy Father's day, my love...my lover...my guide...my all. I love you, man from God. You are the best gift, I never deserved. Thank you...

Over and Over Again

Isaiah 28, "They say, 'Who does the LORD think we are? Why does He speak to us like this? Are we little children, barely old enough to talk? He tells us everything over and over again, a line at a time, in very simple words!' Since they refuse to listen, ...God's people could have rest in their own land if they would only obey Him, but they will not listen. So the LORD will spell out His message for them again, repeating it over and over, a line at a time, in very simple words..."

As a parent, I can get very tired of telling my boys the same thing over and over again. They will do something, they know they are not supposed to do, then look at me with shock in their eyes, after they are caught. My oldest son will say to me, "Mom you told me that already." Then turn right around and do exactly what I had told him not to do. Then, like I am a fool, he says right back to me, "but I didn't know." He is just about to turn 6 years old, he has an excuse. So what is my excuse, when I do the exact same thing to God?

Just yesterday, I was in an awful mood. I felt angry and irritated with everyone and everything. I could hear God speaking to me, through the exact words that I had told to others. "You are the one in control of your emotions. You are going to ruin everyone's day, just because you are being selfish." How I hate this. I wanted to run with my feelings. I wanted to let them go and pitch the fit that I wanted to pitch. So in my stupidity, I bulled through and felt the way that I wanted to feel. But because I am constantly listening to Christian speakers, He gave me a good whipping. I was forced to cheer up and have a good day after all.

Why do we so often, want to be miserable? Why would we choose to live in anger? We are in control of our emotions, but we feel we have the right to wallow in selfishness. What! Why do we do this? Why can't we just be told, one time, then do it. We are really not that wise. In our search for being so right, we are shown to be fools. Have you ever had one of those days? What in your life has God told you to change, but you insist on having it "your" way. Have you discovered that your way never works, and never brings you the fulfillment that you thought you were going to have. vs 16, "Look I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem. It is firm, a tested and precious cornerstone that is safe to build on. Whoever believes need never run away again." Have you found the life and joy that He brings? Do you turn to Him so that He can show you why you are miserable? Do you listen to Him and change what you are doing, so that you can have life? Why do we continually choose to suffer, when we have been freely given life? Today, please God, help me to choose life!

Death's Door

Destruction is all around. Everything that you tried and believed in is now dying. Death is at your door. You are all alone and the feeling of doom is upon you. Have you ever been in this place? Have you ever felt like your life was over and there was no where to turn? I have. Then I called out to Christ and He was there. I did not understand what He was doing or where He was taking me, but He saved my life and gave me a new one. Isaiah 25, "O LORD, You are my God; I will exalt You and praise Your name, for in perfect faithfulness You have done marvelous things, things planned long ago...Therefore strong peoples will honor You; cities of ruthless nations will revere You. You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall and like the heat of the desert...He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. In that day they will say, 'Surely this is our God; we trusted in Him, and He saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in Him; let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.'"

As I read these chapters in Isaiah and how the LORD is going to bring so much destruction on so many, I find comfort in knowing that I am saved. But my memories take me back to the time when I was at the doors of death. My life choices took me to a place where I was utterly alone and desperate. In my final act of desperation, I called out to Him. I admitted that I had done everything wrong and that He was the only one who could save me from myself. In His unfailing love, He did. Now, my life has no resemblances of my past sin. Only my memories provide me with the everlasting remains of my sin. He remembers them no longer, but in His wisdom, so that we do not get proud, I remember them forever.

If you have ever been in this place of absolute despair then you understand. I still have times of depression, rage and other emotions that I know I need to get under control, but even in my lowest moments with God, I do not feel the same as I did when I had turned my back on Him. When we are living in sin, our soul cannot rest. There is something inside each one of us that longs to be close to Him. Only Christ can fill this place. I tried to fill it with drugs, sexual intimacy, partying... nothing could fill this place, for it was made especially for Him. We must look at our lives with the vision of truth. When I finally looked at myself truthfully, He was able to give me peace. We can lie to ourselves and blame others for our choices, but the reality is "I chose the choices that I chose." I can blame no one else for my sins. I can look at myself truthfully, see my sins, ask Him for forgiveness, then go and live that way no longer. He never said to go and continue in your lifestyle, but to change. What have you not been willing to admit to yourself, yet. All because you were not willing to change.

There is life waiting each of us; all we have to do is to trust in Him. Trust your life to Him, for He is the only one who can bring you true life.

All Sides

Right now in my daily reading, I am in Isaiah. I would have to say that, this is not my favorite book. I have read through chapter 19. "But even then the LORD's anger will not be satisfied. His fist is still poised to strike." This verse stood out to me, mainly because it is repeated several times. The LORD uses people to accomplish what He desires. Then because of that person's pride and arrogance, He destroys them as well. He is not given the glory for their accomplishments. They say, "By my power... By my own strength... By my greatness..." God hates this kind of attitude. "The LORD has rightly decided to destroy His people. Yes, the LORD, the LORD Almighty, has already decided to consume them." This is the part of God that no one likes to think about. This is the part of all of us that does not rejoice in Him. We do not want to think about His judgement, His rath. As we look at God we must look at all of Him. He is not Santa Clause. He has rules and He does expect us to revere Him as LORD.

In all of this rath and judgment that He deliverse, right in the middle of His display of great power, I can find peace. I can find peace because He is more than one part. He is a Triune being. I am so thankful He has more than one side. Isaiah 11, "A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD - and He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what He sees with His eyes, or decide by what He hears with His ears; but with righteousness He will judge the needy, with justice He will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth; with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Righteousness will be His belt and faithfulness the sash around His waist."

I am so thankful for this. I am thakful, because even though I did not deserve it, He saved me. But please listen to the warnings. We like to focus on His grace and generosity, but He does have another side. Please listen to His warning. We need to open our eyes to the truth. Do I, do you worship Him? Is He really our God? All we need to do is to look at how we live our lives. For if He is really our God then we will do everything in our power to obey Him.

Isaiah 12, "In that day you will say: 'I will praise You, O LORD. Although You were angry with me, Your anger has turned away and You have comforted me. Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.'With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. In that day you will say: 'Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted. Sing to the LORD, for He has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.'" We must look at all the sides of the LORD. What part of Him will you see?

How Bad do You Want It?

Ahh sex, my favorite subject. As we are dating, we cannot wait for sex. We cannot restrain from the desires that sex lures us with. Then so often sex becomes so different after marriage. What happens? What goes so wrong, that people think it is truly better to have sex before marriage, because afterwards it changes and no longer has the thrill that it had before marriage?

I have experienced sex in all of its allurement. I have tasted all of the fruit that anyone can offer. I will tell you, I now have the best sex life, with my husband. Song of Songs 2:15, "Quick! Catch all the little foxes before they ruin the vineyard of your love, for the grapevines are all in blossom. My lover is mine, and I am his. He feeds among the lilies!" With sex, there is only one place where I have found true satisfaction, and that place is with my husband. If only I could convince people, I have eaten the forbidden fruit. It tastes so sweet in your mouth, but then it sours in your stomach. You will vomit what you eat, if you are not careful with your choices.

Jason saved himself for me. He guarded his eyes and he has only tasted of me. I can fully satisfy him, for he does not linger in the forbidden places. He is pleased with what I have, because he does not long for the illusion. No one can compete with your imagination. No one will ever be able to satisfy you, if you are constantly comparing them with fantasy. I am speaking to both men and women here. What you think you want and what you think would be better will only disappoint you. What you have is enough. God gave us marriage so that we could have the best sex life. Trust me a married man has the ability to have more sex than he could have ever dreamed up in his mind. A married woman has the potential of feeling desired every day. But it is up to you. Everyone wants to be sexually fulfilled, but too many are not willing to do the work outside of the bedroom to get there. Through marriage, I have been learning about the selfishness that we all hold on to. But with this selfishness comes want, and you will find that there is nothing that can satisfy this. What foxes have you let into your vineyard, that are now destroying your harvest? If you are not married yet, please wait. It is so worth the wait. If you are, do not look to others to fulfill your desires. We each have the power and the opportunity to have the best sex of our lives. But the question is, "How bad do you want it?"

Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost for His Highest"
"In the matter of drudgery. Peter said in this passage that we have become "partakers of the divine nature" and that we should now be "giving all diligence," concentrating on forming godly habits ( 2 Peter 1:4-5). We are to "add" to our lives all that character means. No one is born either naturally or supernaturally with character; it must be developed. Nor are we born with habits— we have to form godly habits on the basis of the new life God has placed within us."