Tag: God Almighty

God is the ONE and ONLY!

nofearlindaLeave a comment

How often do you need to be reminded that God is God and that there is no other! The people of Israel were reminded of this truth repeatedly by the prophets God sent. Isaiah is taking up this task in Isaiah 44:6-8 after he has just given them a word of hope and love from God in Isaiah 44:1-3.

“This is what the Lord says—
    Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
I am the first and I am the last;
    apart from me there is no God.
7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it.
    Let him declare and lay out before me
what has happened since I established my ancient people,
    and what is yet to come—
    yes, let them foretell what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid.
    Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago?
You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me?
    No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”

Truths you can know for certain from these verses:

  1. God Alone is God. There is no other and He is Sovereign., verse 6.
  2. God was there at the beginning and will be there at the end, verse 6.
  3. He is Omniscient. He knows all: past, present and future, verse 7.
  4. God is a rock- solid, stable, the foundation of my life, verse 8.
  5. God is unique. there is no other like Him, verse 8.

What problems are you having today that cannot be known, addressed, solved, or helped by Omniscient, Sovereign God? NONE. What doubts do you have that cannot be solved if committed to God Almighty? NONE David attested to his in Psalm 86:8 “Among the gods there is none like you, Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.” The prayer in Jude 24-25 sums it up, “To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— 25 to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” To whom else can we pray? God is God and there is no other like Him!

May these truths about our loving, merciful and all-knowing God bring you comfort and courage as you face today!

Linda

4th Sunday of Lent, God Has NO Equal

nofearlindaLeave a comment

I am comforted today knowing God has no equal. Isaiah Chapter 40 has proof for us that God has no equal in heavens or on earth. Isaiah 40:18 and 25

18 With whom, then, will you compare God?
    To what image will you liken him? ” God’s answers by asking the Israelites which idol that they have made by their own hands has power? Their skilled craftsmen have set up their handmade idols but which of them will never fall over? We can ask ourselves the same questions today. Whom or what do we put above God- education, material things, relationships? What thing, event or person has the power to change life eternally? Only God has the power to change, mold and create new life within us. I am reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:7 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” Christ is the Holy one, the Only one, who can Save and transform us.

25 “To whom will you compare me?
    Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. God is asking them, and us, whom do we have to compare to God? Will our education, our accomplishments, our relationships, our jobs, our families, our vacations, or our money compare to God and His power, might, forgiveness and hope? Whom can offer us eternity? Whom can offer us a personal relation ship with Almighty God? No one and nothing can be substituted for God.

Thinking of Who God is and His power and might brings me to Psalm 18. Here are a few verses that show us How our God is alive and will intervene and sustain us.

1 I love you, Lord, my strength.

2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
    my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

3 I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
    and I have been saved from my enemies.

30 As for God, his way is perfect:
    The Lord’s word is flawless;
    he shields all who take refuge in him.
31 For who is God besides the Lord?
    And who is the Rock except our God?
32 It is God who arms me with strength
    and keeps my way secure.
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
    he causes me to stand on the heights.
34 He trains my hands for battle;
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
35 You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains me;
    your help has made me great.
36 You provide a broad path for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.

May you be in touch with God today as you worship Him. He is worthy of all our worship and there is NONE like Him! There is NONE EQUAL to GOD!

Linda

What to do? Take a Lesson from King Hezekiah

nofearlindaLeave a comment

I just love this interlude within the book of Isaiah. Yesterday I wrote about Chapter 36-37 where the commander of the Assyrian army come to scoff and denigrate the Israelites belief and trust in Almighty God. King Hezekiah sent for Isaiah the prophet and he gave encouraging words as God answered the insults of the Assyrian. Today as Chapter 37 continues as Sennacherib, the king of Assyria again sent a message to King Hezekiah, Isaiah 37:10-11“Say to Hezekiah king of Judah: Do not let the god you depend on deceive you when he says, ‘Jerusalem will not be given into the hands of the king of Assyria.’ 11 Surely you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the countries, destroying them completely. And will you be delivered?”

Sennacherib, the Assyrian King wanted to intimidate King Hezekiah and sent him a letter by messenger threatening his kingdom and ridiculing His God. Isaiah 37:14-20

 “Hezekiah received the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord. 15 And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord: 16 “Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, enthroned between the cherubim, you alone are God over all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 17 Give ear, Lord, and hear; open your eyes, Lord, and see; listen to all the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God.

18 “It is true, Lord, that the Assyrian kings have laid waste all these peoples and their lands. 19 They have thrown their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and stone, fashioned by human hands. 20 Now, Lord our God, deliver us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, Lord, are the only God.”

What would you do if you received a threatening letter like this? Hezekiah turned to the Lord. Isaiah 37:14-20

I love the order in which Hezekiah acted:

*He laid the letter out before God.

*He prayed and acknowledged God’s power as Creator of all things in heaven and earth.

*He asked the Lord to look and listen to how Sennacherib was ridiculing His name, the living God.

*He acknowledged the earthly power of the Assyrian armies and the devastation they had brought.

*He told God of the Assyrian’s blasphemous idolatry.

*He asked God to deliver them from this enemy so that the world would know God is the one true God.

King Hezekiah knew that in and of themselves they were lost and defeated. Their only hope was in God Almighty! Hezekiah’s example shows us how to react when faced with situations beyond our control. We are to take it to the Lord. God alone has the answer and can defend us. Isaiah relayed to King Hezekiah’s officials that God was going to defeat this enemy in a very unusual way so that there would be no doubt as to who had saved Israel and defeated the Assyrian king.

I also love Hezekiah’s prayer as he did not start out with the request. He first acknowledged who God is and the power which Hezekiah knew and believed that God possessed. He also let God know how upset he was that God’s name and honor were being questioned. He was offended for God. He also wanted God to know that they were pagans and did not even revere or respect their own gods. God knew all this but Hezekiah needed to talk with God about it and as he prayed he gained hope and reassurance. Prayer is a process, a dialogue, communication with God and we receive strength and enlightenment as we pray. Talking about God- who He is and what He can or does brings hope and reassurance.

Review this story again and look closely at Hezekiah’s actions and prayer. Hopefully, you can apply this to your own life’s circumstances. I have done this many times. When I receive disturbing news, a letter, bill, etc., I will physically place it down in front of me and kneel in prayer. The physical action of laying it before God helps me put things in perspective and remember as I pray who is in charge. May this process help you too. Learning to bring things before God in prayer is a valuable lesson we can learn from an ancient king.

Linda

God Promises a Remnant

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Amidst all the turmoil for Israel foretold by Isaiah in chapter after chapter, God lists the sins of not only Israel but the nations around them and still God provides a note of hope. God tells Isaiah that there will be a remnant of His people that will remain or return. In Hezekiah’s day a small group remained faithful and survived the Assyrian invasion in 701 B.C. Later in exile with the Babylonians there was a remnant that would return as recorded in Nehemiah. God promises a remnant of the faithful believers will return to rebuild and from them will come the Messiah.

Isaiah 10: 20-23 In that day the remnant of Israel,
    the survivors of Jacob,
will no longer rely on him
    who struck them down
but will truly rely on the Lord,
    the Holy One of Israel.
21 A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob
    will return to the Mighty God.
22 Though your people be like the sand by the sea, Israel,
    only a remnant will return.
Destruction has been decreed,
    overwhelming and righteous.
23 The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out
    the destruction decreed upon the whole land.

What does this hope mean for us today? As we look around, like the people of Isaiah’s day did, we see a world filled with corruption and evil. Yes, there is good too but sin is rampant and it seems that it has the upper hand. God was consoling Isarel, and us too, that no matter how it looks or seems, God is in control. He is sovereign and there will always be a remnant of believers that hold Him to be the Lord Almighty, the Holy One.

What is a remnant? As a seamstress, it is a piece of cloth left over. You cut the majority of the bolt of fabric for use and then what is left over is the remnant. It is just as beautiful and the whole piece of cloth, same width, and depth but just smaller in size. God promises there will always be believers no matter how small the group, they will be present. They will hold onto His light, His Word and His truths. They will walk with Him in His power. Paul gave an example in his letter to the Romans. He was speaking about the prophet Elijah and his complaint to God that there were not any believers left in Israel. Romans 11:2-6 “Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”? 4 And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace. 6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” There is always a remnant chosen by God, by His grace, to remain. Jesus spoke encouraging words in John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Praise God! 1 John 4:4 “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

Take heart and put your trust in the Holy One of Israel who is Sovereign over all. The Lord Almighty will preserve us in Him. We are sealed by His Holy Spirit and belong to Him!

Linda

God is Worthy of All our Praises this 1st Sunday of Lent 2023

nofearlindaLeave a comment

In this week’s blogs in Isaiah, I have been reminded over and over of the power and might, the majesty and holiness of our God. Isaiah was privileged to see His throne room, his train, and the Seraphs as they praised God with their voices. He was cleansed by God’s holy fire and spoken to by Almighty God. He was given a mission and accepted it willingly. Today as you worship ponder the holiness of God. Here in Psalm 46 the psalmist seeks to capture the majesty of God in words.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    always ready to help in times of trouble.
2 So we will not fear when earthquakes come
    and the mountains crumble into the sea.
3 Let the oceans roar and foam.
    Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! Interlude

4 A river brings joy to the city of our God,
    the sacred home of the Most High.
5 God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed.
    From the very break of day, God will protect it.
6 The nations are in chaos,
    and their kingdoms crumble!
God’s voice thunders,
    and the earth melts!
7 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude (Isaiah mentioned the Seraphs were calling out

to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, Holy, Holy, Holy!)

8 Come, see the glorious works of the Lord:
    See how he brings destruction upon the world.
9 He causes wars to end throughout the earth.
    He breaks the bow and snaps the spear;
    he burns the shields with fire.

10 “Be still, and know that I am God!
    I will be honored by every nation.
    I will be honored throughout the world.”

11 The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
    the God of Israel is our fortress. Interlude

The presence of God calls for our praises and our reverence. As verse 10 says, be still and know that I am God! If we listen and look around, we will see that the Lord of Heaven’s Armies is among us. He is in control and Sovereign over this world and the next. He is Sovereign over heavens and earth. He is worth of all our praises!

Enjoy the 1st Sunday of Lent.

Linda

Relying on the Character of God

nofearlindaLeave a comment

Today’s favorite verses come from my friend Aifen. She has chosen Isaiah 55: 8-9. So that we get the context around those verses I have included the entire stanza. They are verses that show the power and majesty of our God.

Isaiah 55:6-9 “Seek the Lord while he may be found;
    call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake his way,
    and the unrighteous man his thoughts;
let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him,
    and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah first tells his listeners to seek to find God and call upon Him. He implores the listener to do it sooner than later. Don’t wait until you are lost or overcome by the ways of the world. Turn to God and seek His compassion and love. Know assuredly that He will forgive you and provided for you with care. How can we know this is true? Because, God is not like us. He is not entangled with a sin nature that seeks to rebel and serve for self gain. God is not human but Spirit and Truth. God assures us that His thoughts and ways are truly higher than any man could ever have. His are lofty, heavenly and not bound to this earth.

God’s Character

How does this encourage you? I am comforted that God is not like me. He is not bound to earthly ways, thoughts, motivations, competitions, materialism, greed, selfishness, etc. His character is pure, true, holy, kind, loving, compassionate, filled with mercy and love. Each of His character traits are perfect as He is perfect. We cannot fully understand God and His ways as He is so far above us in character and intellect. Yet, we can know is that He is just and faithful. Looking into scripture tells us about God and shows us who He is and what He can and will do. He does not sin and cannot be controlled by anyone or anything. God will pardon sinners abundantly. He is Sovereign and Almighty God.

I know my friend Aifen takes great strength from knowing that she loves and worships the Almighty Creator who is Sovereign over all things, thoughts and ways! Be encouraged as nothing will ever happen in your life that catches God unaware. He knows and can be with you. Deuteronomy 36:3  “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Be of good courage!

As you reread these verses, seek to catch a glimpse of Almighty God and His power.

Linda

Need Strength? Make God Personal

nofearlindaLeave a comment

As I continue this Thanksgiving week looking at reasons for praising God and giving thanks, I came to Psalm 91. It has long been a favorite of mine and is known to be a favorite among soldiers. Why is that you might ask? Are you frightened today about the future or events in your life? Are you struggling and despairing over people or things? Soldiers facing battle struggle with all of these, and yet the words of this psalm sooth and comfort them. May you too find comfort and be able to give thanks to God who is sovereign and All-Sufficient. Psalm 91:1-4

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
    and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his pinions,
    and under his wings you will find refuge;
    his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

My friend Bob who lived at the Veteran’s Home in Yountville, CA used to recite this psalm. He told me he used to put his name in verse 2 as he personalized and claimed God’s truth of love and protection over himself and his bombing crew as they flew missions in WWII. “I, Bob, will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I, Bob, trust.” He would do the same with Psalm 23. “The Lord is Bob’s shepherd I will not want…”

Do you find scripture personal? Bob believed in God’s Word and the power of the truths God placed there for our benefit. Can you claim the truth of verses 1 and 2- that God is your refuge and fortress and you can trust in Him in all situations? What about verses 3 and 4? Do you believe that God is greater than any foe or force you will face? Does He faithfully cover you and enfold you in His love and care?

I pray this Thanksgiving, as you reflect on God’s goodness and care, that you can see God’s hand in your life protecting and leading. That you feel his loving arms surrounding you and giving you strength. May God’s faithfulness and love speak to you in a new way this holiday creating in you greater gratitude for God.

Linda

Need a Name to Praise All Day Long?

nofearlindaLeave a comment

What is your favorite name of God? He reveals himself and His character to us in scripture and shows himself to be just what his people need, all that they need !

Psalm 44:8 O God, we give glory to you all day long
    and constantly praise your name. 

Here are few names God gives Himself:

El Shaddai- The All-Sufficient One He is the Lord God Almighty and nothing is beyond His control. His power and might are sufficient for all our needs. Abraham first encounter God Almighty in Genesis 17:1-2 “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.’ Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” The Apostle Paul knew God Almighty to when he wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

El Elyon– The God Most High He is the sovereign ruler of the universe. Abraham was thanking God for his deliverance in Genesis 14:20 and used God’s name, “And blessed be God Most High,  who has defeated your enemies for you.” Psalm 78 is a psalm of remembrance and used God’s name in verse 35 “Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their redeemer. Where do you need Him to be your God most High?

Yahweh- LORD, Jehovah He is the Self-Existent One. God is God and there is no other. He alone exited before time began and was not created. Moses encountered God in Exodus 3:14-15 “God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” 15 God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.

Which name of God do you need to minister to you today? Will you give thanks for Him constantly? God is worthy of all our praises as He is indeed the All-Sufficient One, The God Most High and Lord. Thank you Jesus for being all I need no matter the place or the circumstances. God is enough!

Linda