When asked if you know any promises from God, today’s promise probably comes to mind. It is one of the first ones we learn as a child and comes from Genesis 9, the rainbow.
Genesis 9:11-13, 16 I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be destroyed by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” 12 And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: 13 I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth…..16 Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth.”
Promise: God promises to never again destroy the creature of the earth by flood, and the rainbow will be our sign that God remembers His promise.
Don’t you love to see rainbows in the sky? Usually they occur after or during a storm and remind us of God’s faithfulness to His creation. Storms will come but God promises that whatever may come it will not destroy us. I think you can take this literally with storms of nature but it also applies to emotional storms that invade our lives. God’s rainbow gives us hope that He is eternally present and His Word is everlasting. We can depend upon Him no matter what the storm may be because He is sovereign and greater than anything we can or will ever face. Like Noah, we can have faith in God as He keeps His promises.
What we can learn from these verses: God’s covenants are eternal, I do not need to fear destruction of the earth by flood, God wants me assured of His promises, the rainbow is His sign to us, God’s Word is eternal, God’s promises do not change.
Lenten Reflections: What does God’s faithfulness look like in my life? How am I thankful for His faithfulness to me?
I know rainbows are a matter of science but God made all the parts of the universe and knows how they work together. They are His rainbows and He uses them to remind us of His faithfulness. Because Christ died on the cross, and rose from the dead, I can trust in God’s faithfulness 100%.
Linda
Related Verses: Job 42:2, Psalm 86:15, Hebrews 6:17-18, Hebrews 10:23, James 1:17, 2 Peter 3:8-9
Each Sunday during Lent I have been highlighting something we have because of Christ’s work on the cross and resurrection. Salvation and Christ’s Righteousness is ours as well as the promise of an eternal home with Christ.
Scripture tells us that death is not the end for us as God has a home for us in heaven. 2 Corinthians 5:1 “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.’
Jesus said words to comfort his disciples as his time on earth neared the end. These are familiar words giving us hope for a home in heaven with Jesus and Jesus’ promised return. Our home in heaven is not random or thrown together at the last minute but planned and prepared for us by God. John 14:1-4 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” We know the way because we believe in Jesus. Remember his familiar words in John 14:6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” The way is through faith in Jesus!
Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can be assured of my home in heaven through faith in Jesus.
Today’s scripture is from Isaiah 9 and describes the coming Christ. It tells us that He will come as a child but his potential for impact will be enormous. All of creation will rest upon Him and His kingdom will be eternal.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!
As you reflect on the Love of God that caused Him to send Jesus to provide for us, to redeem us and reconcile us to Him, say a prayer of thanks for his generous love. John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” It was love for you and me that motivated God to send Jesus. I am continually touched by the message of Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that whilewewere stillsinners, Christ died for us.” He loves me that much! He loves you too. Turn to Him this season and feel His love.
Today’s Advent passage comes from Luke 1:46-55. Mary praises God for the blessing of being chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. This passage is known as the Magnificat, as it is Mary’s response of praise to God for His blessing. Marvel with me at the words Mary uses to describe God and His works in the world,
46 Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. 47 How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! 48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed. God’s blessing caused Mary to rejoice and marvel at being chosen.
49 For the Mighty One is holy, and he has done great things for me. 50 He shows mercy from generation to generation to all who fear him. Mary knows that God is mighty, holy, eternal, and merciful to those who know Him. 51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 52 He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble.Mary knows that God is sovereign over all, even princely powers. 53 He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. Mary knows that God provides justly to all.
54 He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. 55 For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.” Mary knows that God keeps his promises.
If you were writing a song of praise to God, what would you include? Would you acknowledge His power over all things, His great provision for you, His character and how He has blessed you specifically? Mary’s praise starts with her own knowledge of God’s blessing. It has to start with us. We need to acknowledge His grace and mercy towards us and humbly accept Him into our lives. He has marvelous wonders to work in our lives as we submit to Him. Mary is our example.
May our praises this Advent season be reflective of His grace in our lives and reach to those around us.
The scripture chosen for today is from Mark 13:24-36 which records several prophetic statements Jesus gave about his return and the end times to come. The description given in Mark 13:24-27 matches the vision given to John in Revelation Chapter 6 of the turmoil on earth and in the heavens during the last days. “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, 25 and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 26 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then he will send out the angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.“
How can we have hope looking at the destruction of the world and judgement for sin? I found encouragement and hope in verse 31 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” God is eternal and will sustain us through those hard times and His Word will continue. Remember Christ is referred to in John 1 as the Word. Christ is eternal and will not leave us. Christ will physically return at the end of time and we will see his glory and power displayed.
How do we know these things will come to pass? Jesus came and fulfilled all the prophecies concerning his first coming. He was born in Bethlehem, his mother was a virgin, he faced a death on the cross and rose from the dead, he preached about his love and kingdom that are enduring and so much more. If we believe these things that we know have come to pass, we can also believe Jesus will return as he says he will. God is faithful and keeps all of his promises! Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithfulGod who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,” 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” Numbers 23:19 “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?”
Take heart and renew your trust in God this holiday season. Jesus is the reason and He is faithful and trustworthy.
Before I leave Chapter 40 of Isaiah, I want to draw your attention to my favorite verses that give me strength, courage and a feeling of being loved by God.
Isaiah 40:8 shows me the strength I am assured of through God’s Word. “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” God and His Word are eternal and will not change, fade or die out. I can use His Word as an anchor for my soul as God and His Word do not change. Hebrews 13:8 speaks of the immutability of Jesus and confirms our trust in Him. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Proverbs 30:5 speaks of the perfection of God’s Word and its ability to protect us. “Every wordofGod is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.” Hebrews 4:12 speaks of how the Word of God is alive and will help us discern our own hearts and the world around us. “For the wordofGod is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” The Word of God is eternal and provides grounding and hope in any situation.
Isaiah 40:11 “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” This verse is very comforting as God reveals his heart of compassion and love for me. I know that in times of heartache, joy and desperation He will hold me close to His heart and never let me go. There is no one or nothing like our God. He alone can hold and comfort me. However, He uses other believers to come alongside me and bring tangible comfort right when I need it. Thank you God for you exquisite care of me.
Lastly, I love Isaiah 40:28-31. This portion of scripture is a favorite of so many. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 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.
There is such strength in knowing God is creator of all, sovereign and everlasting. Nothing can outlast God. He is tireless and in my human weariness I can know that God will not give up or not help because He is too tired or preoccupied. He gives strength and power in Jesus’ name. He uplifts when I grow tired and always will renew my strength. He will cause me to soar and not grow faint. God is an amazing God who loves me and will always support me. I am reminded of Lamentations 3:21-23 when reading these verses, “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: 22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” We know that God always loves us and each and every day His mercies are new for us. We can count on His Faithfulness!
I pray you have seen God in new ways as we have spent time in Isaiah Chapter 40.
So far in Isaiah Chapter 40 we have seen God as caring, glorious and eternal. Today’s verses reveal God as powerful.Isaiah 40:9-10 tell us that God is coming with a message, a powerful message.
“O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!” 10 Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm. See, he brings his reward with him as he comes.” God is encouraging the people of Israel that He will indeed return and when He does it will be with power and rewards for the faithful. The message of good news is the gospel brought by and through Jesus Christ. The rule of power would refer to the future and His return as King to judge and rule overall creation. There is a promise of return, hope, salvation, power, might and reward. Only God can achieve all this perfectly in His power. He is All Powerful or Omnipotent. God has unlimited power, authority and influence. His power is not bound by time and He does all He wants and intends to do. What He says He will accomplish. God is the source of all power in the universe and with out Him all things fall apart. We can depend upon His power and might to sustain and keep us. I am encouraged by Hebrews 1:3 “The Son radiates God’s own glory and expresses the very character of God, and he sustains everything by the mighty power of his command. When he had cleansed us from our sins, he sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven.”
Isaiah 40:28b also speaks of God’s power. “The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding”. In addition to God’s power we see His eternality, creativity, and incomprehensibility. Only an all powerful, Omnipotent God could be all these things. He is eternal- everlasting. He is the Creator of all heavens and earth. He never tires or grows weary as we humans do- He is tireless. He is so deep in character and thought that our finite minds cannot comprehend all of God. We do not have to worry that God will not understand us or grow tired of dealing with our problems or circumstances. I am encouraged when I consider God’s description of himself in Isaiah 55:8-9 “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. 9 For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” God is God and there is no one like Him. He is above us in intellect, power and might. Praise God He is in control and is the Sovereign power of the universe.
How does God’s power impact your life? I am encouraged as I can always depend upon Him. He never tires or grows weary. He has the power and grace to help me though any circumstance. 2 Corinthians 12:9 constantly reminds me He is the sustainer of all. “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” His plans are eternal and nothing can thwart His will. His power leads me to rest in Him and take a breath as He Has This and He Has me!
The attributes God reveals to us today from Chapter 40 of Isaiah are: God is glorious and God’s Word is eternal. These are two profound attributes of our great God that can have direct meaning for our lives today.
Why should I care that God is glorious? Isaiah 40:5 “And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” By definition God’s glory is the sum total of all His attributes. God displayed His glory in the beauty and wisdom of His creation. Throughout history, God has revealed His glory to His people through His power, mercy, grace, judgement, holiness, love, etc. In the Old Testament God showed his people His glory in a cloud and it was known as the Shekinah glory. The cloud was used by God to lead his people in the wilderness for 40 years and then filled the tabernacle and later the temple in Jerusalem. The key factor about God’s glory is that Jesus Christ, the Son, reveals to us completely God’s glory. We can know and feel his glorious presence with us each day by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus shows us all about God’s glory. Here in Isaiah 40:5, God tells us He will be revealing to the world His glory and we would see it. Jesus is that glory God spoke of, He was coming and would show us all about God the Father. John 1:18 “No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” Jesus made Him known to us.
I am so thankful that I can know God the Father and His glory because of the work of Jesus on the cross. He came to reveal God to us and to save us so we could have a relationship with His Father and ours. All that God is Jesus made known to us in His Word so we can see and feel His glory in a new and personal way today. Christ is the Holy one, the Only one, who can Save us.
God’s Word is eternal. Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Recently, I was working with a group of teens to study Chapter 40 and several of us chose this verse as one of our favorites. It is so important to know that God’s Word is eternally true and does not change from generation to generation. The Bible is filled with affirmations of God’s Word being eternal. Here are a couple of my favorites; Psalm 119:89 Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Psalm 119: 160 “All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.” John 6:68 “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” 2 Peter 3:5 “But they deliberately forget that long ago by God’s word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water.” God’s Words brought the world into existence as He spoke “Let there be…” in Genesis. John called Jesus the Word of God in John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. and verse 14 “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” As in the case of God’s glory, the world has experienced God’s eternal Word from the beginning as He created all the heavens and the earth. We have experience the fullness of His Word in Jesus, the Word, the one who saves us and lives today after being raised from the dead. We have the assurance from God’s character that His Word is eternal and will endure for all generations. Praise God! That is an anchor for our soul and affirmation of our faith as we seek to live each day for Him. We do not need to worry that God will change His mind about loving and saving us. He is eternally true and keeps His promises.
Prophecies from Chapter 9 of Isaiah continue in verses 6-7. Let the beauty of God’s Word fill you as you read.
For to us a child is born, He (Messiah, Savior) will come as a child. to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. He will be a king. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, He will be given glorious names. Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne He will reign on David’s throne. and over his kingdom, His will be a kingdom of peace. establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness He will reign with justice and righteousness. from that time on and forever. His is an eternal kingdom. The zeal of the Lord Almighty The Lord will bring this about by His passion will accomplish this. and purpose.
All of the above prophecies were fulfilled by Jesus when He came to Earth. The culmination of His kingdom and reign will be fully accomplished when He returns. To increase your faith in who Jesus is, what He did and what He plans to do, let me give you some New Testament references that show the fulfillment of these prophesies.
Jesus was born as a child and was the son of God. Luke 1:35 “The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the SonofGod.” Luke 2:6-7 “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”
Jesus would be king. John 18:36 “Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” Luke 1:32-33 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).
Jesus would be given glorious names. John 14:26 “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit—the Father will send Him in My name—will teach you all things and remind you of everything I have told you.” Matthew 20:30 “Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Philippians 2:9-11 “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Jesus will reign on David’s throne. Revelation 22:16 ““I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Hebrews 12:2 “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Matthew 1:1 “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham:…”
Jesus’ kingdom is one of peace. John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Romans 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,”
Jesus will reign in justice and righteousness. Romans 3:22 “This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile,” Matthew 12:18 ““Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.”
Jesus’ kingdom is eternal. Romans 5:8 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” 2 Peter 2:10-11 “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” John 10:28 “I give them eternallife, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”
The Lord will see that all is accomplished. Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” Revelation 17:4 “They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
Wow! I don’t know if you are as blessed as I am reading through these scriptures. This just touches the surface of how Jesus fully fulfilled the will of the Father. He is who He says He is and will return. You can count on it as God keeps His Promises! Step out in faith today uplifted by God’s eternal promises fixed in Jesus our Savior.
Linda
Here is link to hear these words of prophecy as written in Handel’s Messiah. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/GfZqZlUN1qE
Our verses for today from Psalm 139: 17-18, reflect the psalmist love for God. He also grasps the immenseness of who God is, His vastness and power. Meditate on these 2 verses as you begin your day.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I would count them, they are more than the sand. I awake, and I am still with you.
The psalmist knows that the knowledge of God, who He and and what He does, is beyond his imagining. God is immense and unending. He knows there is no way to put God in a box and count the number of things He could do. He is amazed and grateful that God thinks about and cares for him. He knows that God is with him 24/7. When he awakes assured that God is still with him. Praise God for His faithfulness.
Do you know this about God? Is He real as you try to grasp his eternal nature and omniscience? Like the psalmist, I seek to know God and try not to define or limit Him by my human finite standards. God is so much more. I am humbled by the fact that God loves and thinks about me. He alone knows what I need to pursue the work He has designed for me. May you catch a new glimpse of God and His love and care for you today.
Blessings this 4th Sunday of Lent as you seek to know and worship Him.
Fearless Living 