God Answers Hezekiah, Showing Who He Is

The Assyrian army is approaching Jerusalem and threatening the kingdom of Judah. King Hezekiah has pleaded with the Lord to save them and he has asked Isaiah for a word from the Lord. Here is what happened! Yeah God! Isaiah 37:7 was God’s answer through Isaiah: “Listen! When he hears a certain report, I will make him want to return to his own country, and there I will have him cut down with the sword.’” Later Isaiah expands God’s deliverance message in Isaiah 37:21-38

Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent a message to Hezekiah: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria, 22 this is the word the Lord has spoken against him:
23 
Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed?
    Against whom have you raised your voice
God- “You dared to ridicule the Holy One of Israel.”
and lifted your eyes in pride?
    Against the Holy One of Israel!
28 
“But I know where you are
    and when you come and go
God- “I know where you are and your attitudes.”.
    and how you rage against me.
29 Because you rage against me
    and because your insolence has reached my ears,
God– “I have heard your insults.”
I will put my hook in your nose
    and my bit in your mouth,
and I will make you return
    by the way you came.
God- “I will turn you around and send you home.”

33 “Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria:

“He will not enter this city
    or shoot an arrow here.
He will not come before it with shield
God- “You will not enter my city.”
    or build a siege ramp against it.
34 By the way that he came he will return;
    he will not enter this city,”
God- “You will go back the way you came!”
declares the Lord.
35 “I will defend this city and save it,
    for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!” 36 Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 

God’s Action- without an arrow being shot 85,000 died and it sent the Assyrian army running in fear.

37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.38 One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisrok, his sons Adrammelek and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped to the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son succeeded him as king.

God Action- you, king Sennacherib will die by the sword.

How can this message speak to you and me? God is a Holy and just God who is unchanging. When God gives His Word about something it happens! Guaranteed. His will cannot be thwarted. Sennacherib did not revere God or believe in His power. He paid for his unbelief with his life and the lives of his soldiers. Hezekiah, Isaiah and the people of Judah saw God defending, protecting and answering their cries for help. They saw a Righteous God who would not be ridiculed or have His name defamed.

We too can know – God is Holy and unchanging. John 6:68-69 “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.God’s will cannot be stopped. Job 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted. God is to be feared and revered. Psalm 96:4 “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. Hebrews 12:8 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, Unbelief in God results in death. Hebrews 3:18-19  “And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? 19 So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief.” Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God defends His own. Psalm 118:14 “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.” God protects believers. Proverbs 2:7-9 “He holds success in store for the upright,  he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just  and protects the way of his faithful ones.God hears our prayers and cries for help. Proverbs 15:29 “The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous”. Psalm 34:17 “The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.” God defends His Name. Zechariah 14:9 “The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.’

I pray as you look at these truths about God that your faith is strengthened and you see how our God is real today as He continues to save, protect and listen to us. We have the fuller revelation of God in Jesus the Son. Christ is the Holy one, the Only one, who can Save us. Christ promises to listen to us and intercede before the Father for us. Praise God!

Linda


Thankfulness Day 19: God has it covered!

Psalm 91:1-2 are special verses that remind me of who God is, what He can do and my friend Bob. Bob lived at the Veteran’s Home in Yountville and I met him when I was leading a Bible Study using my book Promises for Dynamic Living. He was in his late 90’s at the time and his eyesight was failing, therefore he could not longer read his Bible. Bob possessed an uplifted spirit that brought heart and wisdom to our discussions. He told us that when he was in his 80’s he decided that he needed to memorize scripture and proceeded to put countless verses to memory. With failing eyes, he could still quote verse after verse as he had them locked into his heart and mind. One of his favorites was Psalm 91:1-2. He said that when he flew bombers during WWII he clung to this verse and claimed it. He drew strength from the words of David and applied them to his own life.

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
    he is my God, and I trust him.

Are you finding rest in God Almighty? Do you live in the shelter of His presence? When we rest in God, we allow Him to take charge of our thoughts and mind so that we are not worried, stressed or depressed about the world around us. Our confidence is in Sovereign God. When we find shelter in Him, we are surrounded by His love and care. We are protected from the world for all eternity by the power of His might and our faith in Him. These truths are what led David to say that God was his refuge and his safe place in spite of all the turmoil he was facing at the time. That is what my friend Bob knew as he flew those bomber planes.

What about you? Is God your refuge and safe place? Do you trust Him to give you what you need- shelter, refuge, safety? Do you see yourself, like David and Bob, living in the shelter of His shadow? If you do, let your heart and mind sing out with praise for Almighty God today. Thank Him for His love, protection, safe harbor and rest. He alone is God and mighty to be praised!

Linda

Bob passed into glory last year at the age of 99. He is greatly missed at the Veteran’s Home and by me.

Thankfulness Day 16: 7 Amazing Reasons for Faith

Have you ever thought about faith and considered, what’s in it for me? Why should I believe and try to follow God’s pathway for my life? Today’s verses put this into perspective and really lead straight towards greater thankfulness.

Psalm 91:14-16 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.
    I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer;
    I will be with them in trouble.
    I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life
    and give them my salvation.”

These verses are filled with 7 amazing promises from God. When He say, “I will” He means it, as He is sovereign and all things are within and under His control. He promises those who love and believe in Him that He will be: 1- ready to rescue, 2- protect, 3- answer when called, 4- always with you especially in times of trouble, 5- will honor you, and 6- reward you with eternal life and 7- save you from the punishment for your sins. What an overwhelming list of provisions from God are yours, all because you love and believe in Him. The reasons for belief and love for God show us His merciful, compassionate, loving character towards each and every believer. We are truly blessed by our Heavenly Father.

As you consider the psalmists words today, remember a time when God heard your prayers, rescued you from danger, allowed you to receive honor for something done for Him, how He was with you in a time of great trouble, and your response to His call upon your life as you began your eternal life with Him. These things will surely cause you to praise God with a heart and spirit filled with thankfulness.

Linda

Who is after your mind? Be protected- use your helmet!

Ephesians 6:17 is part of a sentence that began yesterday in 6:16 that has an important element for 6:17 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”   Each piece of armor that Paul is instructing believers to put on are to be used at all times in all circumstances.  He knew the devil is always ready to attack.  Peter knew it also as he wrote in 1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”   Being ready means putting on our armor as we endeavor to walk with Jesus daily.  

Verse 17 mentions 2 pieces of armor but I’m only going to focus on one today, the helmet ephesians 6 17 helmetof salvation.  Why did Paul associate salvation with the helmet in our armor?  Salvation is not just redemption but is our protection plan for eternity.  Ephesians 1:13 told us “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,”  We are sealed for eternity and nothing or not one can take our salvation away from us!  This is a blessed assurance or promise from God and God always keeps His promises!

A helmet is essential because it protects your head and your mind.  Satan is after our minds.  He want to turn us away from godly thinking, confuse, disrupt or distort our thinking.  The brain controls the body so protecting our mind is vital for survival.  2 Corinthians 10:5 reminds us that we need to hold every thought captive to Christ.  “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,”   Opinions, false doctrines and 2 corinthians 5 3arguments against the faith can be overcome with all thoughts captivated by Christ and His truths.  Having a firmly placed and active helmet helps us keep our shield of faith in place and solidifies who we are in Christ.  We need to think like kingdom citizens.  Protecting our minds from attacks of stray thoughts, doubts, letting fear creep in and control us or letting desires over come what we know is right are all things we are vulnerable to without a good helmet.  Because Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, I can have assurance of salvation for all eternity and be mentally protected from attacks by Satan.

Here are a few verses about how God protects our minds in Christ:

Isaiah 26:3  “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you,because he trusts in you”.    Peace of mind is yours in Christ.

Romans 8:6 “For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.”   Life is yours in Christ.

Colossians 3:2  “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth”.  Heavenly thinking is yours to possess.

1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ”  Complete preparation for spiritual battles is ours through Christ.

As you go through today, think about your gift of salvation through faith in Christ. Praise and thank God for this precious gift and how it protects and defends your mind and thinking.  Your salvation is sure and true and you hold it for all eternity.  Thank you Jesus.

Linda

Holy Week -Wednesday.   Plots are hatched against Jesus as Judas is lured by officials to betray Christ.  Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:3-6.   As He looked towards the cross and betrayal which was to come on Thursday evening and Friday, Jesus likely took this day to rest and be with those He cherished on earth.

 

Mary Praises Preserver God

“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.  He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.  He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.  He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.  He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.” Luke 1:50-55

I see two different attributes of God that stand out to me in Mary’s continuing song of praise. I’ll highlight one today and one tomorrow.  Today I’d like to talk about God’s as our Protector/Preserver. Mary knew that God had protected and preserved the children of Israel since the time of Abraham when He made a covenant with him.  Genesis 12: 2-3 “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”    Mary would have been familiar with the stories of the Exodus from Egypt, the miraculous plagues, the saving of the first born, the parting of the Red Sea, the giving of the law on Mt. Sinai, the feats and battles of Gideon, Deborah, King David and many more.   She would have known of the preservation of Esther and the way God used foreign kings to bring them back from exile in Babylon.  Mary would have been familiar with Daniel and his stay in the lion’s den.  She had seen how God preserved her people generation after generation against all odds.  It is no wonder then that Mary praises and sings of God’s great upholding power with mighty deeds and personal support.

Who is this great preserver that Mary loves?  God preserves His own.  We can trust Him to preserve the good work He has started in us through Christ.  God preserves our lives for His purpose and He preserves our salvation.  Jesus promises that no one can take you out of God’s hand.  No temptation, no failure, no person, not even Satan can make us lose our salvation .  God preserves us, just as He did the children of Israel, so that we can accomplish His purpose.  He is our preserver.  Mary knew this in her heart and sang praises to the her preserver.

psalm-127Is Jesus your preserver?  Do you trust Him to help, defend and protect your faith and salvation against all enemies?  I love the verses in John 10:28-29 “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”   Trust God and walk today with assurance that God has got you and will never let you go.  Mary knew this and sang out in praise. Join her in proclaiming praise to our Mighty God who promises to preserve us.

Held in the hand of Almighty God,

Linda

Thank goodness this is true!

john-10-28

Worthy of our Praises? You bet!

Let Psalm 95 speak to your heart today as you worship the Lord this Sunday before Thanksgiving.  Think about God, who He is and why He alone is worthy of praise.

Come, let us sing to the Lord!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.        He provides salvation.
Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
For the Lord is a great God,                            He is completely Sovereign.
    a great King above all gods.
He holds in his hands the depths of the earth          He is creator God.
    and the mightiest mountains.
The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
    His hands formed the dry land, too.

Come, let us worship and bow down.                             
    Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
    for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,             He watches over and cares for us.
    the flock under his care.                           We belong to Him.

psalm 95 2Praise God for His love, sovereignty, omnipotent power, creating all things, protecting, watching and caring for us.   We are so blessed that we belong to Him.

Have a great day rejoicing and being thankful in His presence.

Linda

Seeing God’s response to me, brings thankfulness!

A-Thankful-HeartPsalm 28 is a thankful response from David for God’s deliverance.  I want to focus on the verses 6-9.   What was David thankful for in these verses that we know to be absolutely true of God?

Praise the Lord!                                                       
For he has heard my cry for mercy.                 God is accessible, He hears our prayers.
The Lord is my strength and shield.                   God is our protector.
I trust him with all my heart.                                  God is trustworthy.
He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.
I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.                    God gives us joy.

The Lord gives his people strength.                     God gives us strength to meet the day.
    He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.
Save your people!                                                    God saves those who believe in Him.
Bless Israel, your special possession.                 God blesses.
Lead them like a shepherd,                                     God is our good shepherd.
    and carry them in your arms forever.               God is eternal and saves us for                                                                                                                        eternity with Him.

attributes of GodFor which of these attributes are you most thankful today?  I had a friend tell me yesterday that when times are hard she focuses on her joy in the Lord.  What about you?  As you go through today, meditate on God’s goodness and blessings towards you, then take time to thank Him.

Blessings,

Linda

I AM ….the LORD

YHWHMultiple times in scripture God refers to himself as LORD.  When the name Lord is written all in capital letters, it refers to the name ‘Yahweh’,  YHWH which was so revered that it did not even say it aloud or write it completely as they left out the vowels.  Another translation of this is Jehovah.  In Exodus 3:14-15, Moses is called by God to return to Egypt, confront Pharaoh and lead the people.  Moses voices several concerns to God and asks, What do I say when the people ask who sent me? 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.”  God refers to himself as I AM and also The LORD.   God repeated His name in Exodus 6:2-3 “God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them.”    The people did not have the full revelation of God yet and did not fully know Him.  The full revelation of God came with Jesus Christ.

David often refers to God as LORD in the Psalms.  Psalm 91 has several verses that point out the complete trustworthiness of the LORD and how He loves and cares for those who love Him.  Psalm 91

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.                               
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”                                                  God is my refuge.

Surely he will save you
    from the fowler’s snare
    and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;                         God is my protector.
    his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night,                          God’s presence dispels fear.
    nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
    nor the plague that destroys at midday.
A thousand may fall at your side,
    ten thousand at your right hand,
    but it will not come near you.
You will only observe with your eyes
    and see the punishment of the wicked.

If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you        God cares for me.
    to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
    so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the cobra;
    you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;      God desires our love.
    I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call on me, and I will answer him;              God is omnipresent.
    I will be with him in trouble,
    I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”                       God has salvation plans for me.


psalm 91Today meditate on the completeness of your LORD and how HE reaches down and touches you.

Linda

 

Do you need a fortress in your life?

God-is-my-FortressDavid uses the image of God as his fortress as he describes who he feels and sees God is in his life.  By definition a fortress is a fortified place for protection.  David praised God for his deliverance from his enemies and from the murderous pursuit by Saul his king.   “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,” 2 Samuel 2:22  Repeatedly in Psalms David refers to God as his fortress.  Psalm 31:3 “For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me;”  Psalm 59:9 “O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress.”   This psalm was written when Saul sent men to watch his house in order to kill him.  Later in verse 16-17 David writes, “But I will sing of your strength;
    I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.
For you have been to me a fortress
    and a refuge in the day of my distress.
17 O my Strength, I will sing praises to you,
    for you, O God, are my fortress,
    the God who shows me steadfast love.

psalm 91 2The beautiful and uplifting words of Psalm 91:1-4 resonate with David’s love, trust and complete confidence in the God, who is his fortress.

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

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

David knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God was his fortress, safe haven and refuge from all the evil men and deeds that came at him.  He lived with confidence in God’s merciful protection that would cover him as he walked through each circumstance.   Do you have that kind of trust in God?  Have you walked with Him through hard times and seen His hand upon your life?  The more we know God day to day and walk with Him, study His Word, pray, praise and worship will we grow in trust and confidence in God’s God fortress trusteternal protection of our souls.  He is indeed our fortress, our safe place in this swirling world but also our safe haven for eternity.  Praise God for His great name and character today as you seek to walk with Him.  Claim Him as your fortress.  He is solid and can be relied upon at all times in all places.

Linda

Is God your Shepherd?

good shepherdDavid saw God as His shepherd and wrote about him in Psalm 23.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.          The shepherd provides.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.       The shepherd guides
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.                                          The shepherd restores.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
    for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;                                      The shepherd protects and comforts.
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me              The shepherd knows the future and
in the presence of my enemies;                                prepares for me.
you anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me        The shepherd is with me eternally.
    all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

 

Do you regard the Lord God as your shepherd?  The shepherd was the one who tended, cared, protected, defended and loved his sheep.  God is described as the shepherd of the nation of Israel in Isaiah 40: 10-11 “See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,….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.”  Jesus described himself as the good shepherd in John 10:11 “ “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”  Then in John 10:14-16 “ “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. (Here Jesus was referring to those who were not Jews, the Gentiles.) I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”   Jesus is the perfect image of the good shepherd.  The sheep listen to Him, know Him and He sacrifices Himself for this beloved sheep.  What a beautiful pictures of our loving God.

good shepherd 1Today as you reflect upon God, consider the 23rd Psalm and Jesus’ words in John.  Know that you are loved and cared for by your loving heavenly Father and that your good shepherd, Jesus, will guide, protect, defend, hear, and love you. 

Linda