Do people see God reflected in you? (Isaiah 43:8-13)

 

 

Isaiah 43:8-13

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁸ Bring out the people who have eyes but are blind,
    who have ears but are deaf.
⁹ Gather the nations together!
    Assemble the peoples of the world!
Which of their idols has ever foretold such things?
    Which can predict what will happen tomorrow?
Where are the witnesses of such predictions?
    Who can verify that they spoke the truth?

¹⁰ “But you are my witnesses, O Israel!” says the Lord.
    “You are my servant.
You have been chosen to know me, believe in me,
    and understand that I alone am God.
There is no other God—
    there never has been, and there never will be.
¹¹ I, yes I, am the Lord,
    and there is no other Savior.
¹² First I predicted your rescue,
    then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world.
No foreign god has ever done this.
    You are witnesses that I am the only God,”
    says the Lord.
¹³ “From eternity to eternity I am God.
    No one can snatch anyone out of my hand.
    No one can undo what I have done.”




 
 
Israel's task was to be a witness, telling the world who God is and what He has done. Believers today share the responsibility of being God's witnesses. Do people know what God is like through your words and example? They cannot see God directly, but they can see Him reflected in you.




 
 
Joe






















 

We are like grass that withers away.... (Isaiah 40:6-8)

Isaiah 40:6-8

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁶ A voice said, “Shout!”
    I asked, “What should I shout?”

“Shout that people are like the grass.
    Their beauty fades as quickly
    as the flowers in a field.⁷ The grass withers and the flowers fade
    beneath the breath of the Lord.
    And so it is with people.
⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fade,
    but the Word of our God stands forever.”




People are compared here to grass and flowers that wither away. We are mortal, but God's Word is eternal and unfailing. Public opinion changes and is unreliable, but God's Word is constant. Only in God's eternal Word will we find lasting solutions to our problems and needs.




 
Joe

























 

Share your faith with your children (Isaiah 38:19)

 

Isaiah 38:19

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

 

¹⁹ Only the living can praise you as I do today.
    Each generation tells of your faithfulness to the next.




Hezekiah spoke of the significance of passing the joy of the Lord from father to child, from generation to generation. The heritage of our faith has come to us because of faithful men and women who have carried God's message to us across the centuries. Do you share with your children or other young people the excitement of your relationship with God?




Joe

















 

Happy Thanksgiving (Psalm 100)

Psalm 100

New Living Translation (NLT)

A psalm of thanksgiving.

¹ Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!²     Worship the Lord with gladness.
    Come before him, singing with joy.
³ Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
    He made us, and we are his.
    We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
    go into his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him and praise his name.
⁵ For the Lord is good.
    His unfailing love continues forever,
    and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
 
A Thanksgiving Day Prayer
Lord, so often times, as any other day
When we sit down to our meal and pray

We hurry along and make fast the blessing
Thanks, amen. Now please pass the dressing

We're slaves to the olfactory overload
We must rush our prayer before the food gets cold

But Lord, I'd like to take a few minute more
To really give thanks to what I'm thankful for

For my family, my health, a nice soft bed
My friends, my freedom, a roof over my head

I'm thankful right now to be surrounded by those
Whose lives touch me more than they'll ever possibly know

Thankful Lord, that You've blessed me beyond measure
Thankful that in my heart lives life's greatest treasure

That You, dear Jesus, reside in that place
And I'm ever so grateful for Your unending grace

So please, heavenly Father, bless this food You've provided
And bless each and every person invited

Amen!
 
Happy Thanksgiving...
 
Joe 

Ask God for radical changes (Isaiah 38:1-5)

Isaiah 38:1-5

New Living Translation (NLT)
 

 

38 About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the Lord says: ‘Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.’”

² When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord,

³ “Remember, O Lord, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly.
⁴ Then this message came to Isaiah from the Lord: ⁵ “Go back to Hezekiah and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will add fifteen years to your life.


 
 
When Isaiah went to Hezekiah, who was extremely ill, and told him of his impending death, Hezekiah immediately turned to God. God responded to his prayer, allowing Hezekiah to live another 15 years. In response to fervent prayer, God may change the course of our lives too. Never hesitate to ask God for radical changes if you will honor Him with those changes.



 
Joe




















 

God's Voice of correction (Isaiah 30:21)

Isaiah 30:21

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

²¹ Your own ears will hear him.
    Right behind you a voice will say,
“This is the way you should go,”
    whether to the right or to the left.


 
 
When the people of Jerusalem left God's path, He would correct them. He will do the same for us. But when we hear His voice of correction, we must be willing to follow it.


 
 
Joe
















 

Be sensitive (Isaiah 28:23-29)

Isaiah 28:23-29

The Message (MSG)


 

^23-26 Listen to me now.    Give me your closest attention.
Do farmers plow and plow and do nothing but plow?
    Or harrow and harrow and do nothing but harrow?
After they’ve prepared the ground, don’t they plant?
    Don’t they scatter dill and spread cumin,
Plant wheat and barley in the fields
    and raspberries along the borders?
They know exactly what to do and when to do it.
    Their God is their teacher.

^27-29 And at the harvest, the delicate herbs and spices,
    the dill and cumin, are treated delicately.
On the other hand, wheat is threshed and milled, but still not endlessly.
    The farmer knows how to treat each kind of grain.
He’s learned it all from God-of-the-Angel-Armies,
    who knows everything about when and how and where.



 
The farmer uses tools to plant and harvest tender herbs so he will not destroy them. He takes into account how fragile they are. In the same way, God takes all our individual circumstances and weaknesses into account. He deals with each of us sensitively. We should follow His example when we deal with others. Different people require different treatment. Be sensitive to the needs of those around you and the special treatment they may need.


 
 
Joe

joemenei.blogspot.com












 

Build on a firm foundation (Isaiah 28:16)

Isaiah 28:16

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹⁶ Therefore, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,
    a firm and tested stone.
It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.
    Whoever believes need never be shaken.




If you're building anything, you need a firm base. Isaiah speaks of a foundation stone, a cornerstone, that will be laid in Zion. This cornerstone is the Messiah, the foundation on whom we build our lives. Is your life built on the flimsy base of your own successes or dreams. Or is it set on a firm foundation (see Psalm 118:22 & 1 Peter 2:8 below).



 

Psalm 118:22

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

²² The stone that the builders rejected
    has now become the cornerstone.

 

1 Peter 2:7-8

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

⁷ Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him,

“The stone that the builders rejected
    has now become the cornerstone.”

⁸ And,

“He is the stone that makes people stumble,
    the rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they do not obey God’s word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them.

 


 
Joe










 

Express your gratitude to God (Isaiah 12)

Isaiah 12

New International Version (NIV)

 

Songs of Praise

12 In that day you will say:

“I will praise you, Lord.
    Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
    and you have comforted me.² Surely God is my salvation;
    I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
    he has become my salvation.”
³ With joy you will draw water
    from the wells of salvation.

⁴ In that day you will say:

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
    make known among the nations what he has done,
    and proclaim that his name is exalted.⁵ Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
    let this be known to all the world.
⁶ Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
    for great is the Holy One of Israel among you



 
This chapter is a hymn of praise - another graphic description of the people's joy when Jesus Christ comes to reign over the earth. Even now we need to express our gratitude to God - thanking Him, praising Him, and telling others about Him. From the depths of our gratitude, we must praise Him. And we should share the Good News with others.




 
Joe













 

Do you blame God for your problems? (Isaiah 8:21)

Isaiah 8:21

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

²¹ They will go from one place to another, weary and hungry. And because they are hungry, they will rage and curse their king and their God.



 
After rejecting God's plan for them, the people of Judah would blame God for their trials. People continually blame God for their self-induced problems. How do you respond to the unpleasant results of your own choices? Where do you fix the blame? Instead of blaming God, look for ways to grow through your failures.



 
Joe



















 

God's timing, or yours? (Isaiah 8:17)

Isaiah 8:17

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹⁷ I will wait for the Lord,
    who has turned away from the descendants of Jacob.
    I will put my hope in him.



Isaiah decided to wait for the Lord, although God has turned away from the descendants of Jacob. Many of the prophesies God gave through the prophets would not come true for 700 years; others still haven't been fulfilled. Are you willing to accept the Lord's timing, not yours?



Joe















 

Pulling a cartload of sins. (Isaiah 5:18-19)

Isaiah 5:18-19

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹⁸ Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit,
    and wickedness as with cart ropes,
¹⁹ to those who say, “Let God hurry;
    let him hasten his work
    so we may see it.
The plan of the Holy One of Israel—
    let it approach, let it come into view,
    so we may know it.”




Some people drag their sins around with them. Some do so arrogantly, but for others, their sins have become a burden that wears them out. Are you dragging around a cartload of sins that you refuse to give up? Before you find yourself worn out and useless, turn to the One who promises to take away your burden of sin and replace it with a purpose for living that is a joy to fulfill (see Matthew 11:28-30 below).

 

Matthew 11:28-30

New International Version (NIV)


 

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”



 
Joe

























 

Path to Life vs. Path to Destruction (Isaiah 3:9-11)

Isaiah 3:9-11

New International Version (NIV)



 

⁹ The look on their faces testifies against them;
    they parade their sin like Sodom;
    they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
    They have brought disaster upon themselves.

¹⁰ Tell the righteous it will be well with them,
    for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.
¹¹ Woe to the wicked!
    Disaster is upon them!
They will be paid back
    for what their hands have done.





The people would be proud of their sins, parading them out in the open. But sin is self-destructive. In today's world, sinful living often appears glamorous, exciting, and clever. But sin is wrong regardless of how society perceives it, and, in the long run, sin will make us miserable and destroy us. God tries to protect us by warning us about the harm we will cause ourselves by sinning. Those who are proud of their sins will receive the punishment from God they deserve. Having rejected God's path to life, the only alternative is the path to destruction (see Psalm 1 below).

 
Psalm 1

New International Version (NIV)


 

¹ Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
² but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
³ That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

⁴ Not so the wicked!
    They are like chaff
    that the wind blows away.
⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

⁶ For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.



 

Joe 



























 

Put your trust in God (Isaiah 2:22)

Isaiah 2:22

New International Version (NIV)



 

²² Stop trusting in mere humans,    who have but a breath in their nostrils.
    Why hold them in esteem?




"A breathe in their nostrils" refers to mankind's mortality. People are very limited when compared to God. They can be unreliable, selfish, and shortsighted. Yet we trust our lives and futures more readily to mortal human beings than to the all-knowing God. Remember that only God is completely reliable. He is perfect and He loves us with an enduring love (see Psalm 100:5 below).

 

Psalm 100:5

New International Version (NIV)

 

⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
    his faithfulness continues through all generations.




Joe












 

Turn your sword into a shovel (Isaiah 2:1-5)

Isaiah 2:1-5

The Message (MSG)

 

2 ^1-5 The Message Isaiah got regarding Judah and Jerusalem:

There’s a day coming
    when the mountain of God’s House
Will be The Mountain—
    solid, towering over all mountains.
All nations will river toward it,
    people from all over set out for it.
They’ll say, “Come,
    let’s climb God’s Mountain,
    go to the House of the God of Jacob.
He’ll show us the way he works
    so we can live the way we’re made.”
Zion’s the source of the revelation.
    God’s Message comes from Jerusalem.
He’ll settle things fairly between nations.
    He’ll make things right between many peoples.
They’ll turn their swords into shovels,
    their spears into hoes.
No more will nation fight nation;
    they won’t play war anymore.
Come, family of Jacob,
    let’s live in the light of God.



This describes a wonderful future of peace when instruments of war will be converted to instruments of farming, when we will be taught God's laws and will obey them. Although we know that eventually God will remove all sin and thus the causes of war, conflicts, and other problems, we should not wait for Him to act before we begin to obey Him. Just as Judah was told, we should walk in His light now. Though our eternal reward awaits us, we already can enjoy many benefits of obedience now as we apply God's Word to our lives.





Joe














 

Catch the "little foxes" (Song of Solomon 2:15)

Song of Solomon 2:15

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

¹⁵ Catch all the foxes,
    those little foxes,
before they ruin the vineyard of love,
    for the grapevines are blossoming!




The "little foxes" are an example of the kinds of problems that can disturb or destroy a relationship. The lovers wanted anything that could potentially cause problems between them to be removed. It is often the "little foxes" that cause the biggest problems in marriage. These irritations must not be minimized or ignored, but identified so that, together, the couple can deal with them.






Joe















 

Life is Fragile (Ecclesiastes 12:6-7)

Ecclesiastes 12:6-7

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

⁶ Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young, before the silver cord of life snaps and the golden bowl is broken. Don’t wait until the water jar is smashed at the spring and the pulley is broken at the well. ⁷ For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.




The silver cord, golden bowl, water jar, and pulley symbolize life's fragility. How easily death comes to us, how swiftly and unexpectedly we can return to the dust from which we came. Therefore, we should recognize life as a precious resource to be used wisely and not squandered frivolously.




 
Joe



















 

Sharpen your ax (Ecclesiastes 10:10)

Ecclesiastes 10:10

New International Reader's Version (NIRV)


 

¹⁰ Suppose the blade of an ax is dull.
    And its edge hasn’t been sharpened.
Then more effort is needed to use it.
    But skill will bring success




Trying to do anything without the necessary skills or tools is like chopping wood with a dull ax. If your tool is dull, you should sharpen it to do a better job. Similarly, if you lack skills, you should sharpen them through training and practice. In each situation, sharpening the ax means recognizing where a problem exists, acquiring or honing the skills (or tools) to do the job better, and then going out and doing it. Find the areas of your life where your "ax" is dull, and sharpen your skills so you can be more effective for God's work.




Joe



















 

Are you too righteous? (Ecclesiastes 7:16-18)

Ecclesiastes 7:16-18

Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)


 

¹⁶ Don’t be excessively righteous, and don’t be overly wise. Why should you destroy yourself? ¹⁷ Don’t be excessively wicked, and don’t be foolish. Why should you die before your time? ¹⁸ It is good that you grasp the one and do not let the other slip from your hand. For the one who fears God will end up with both of them.





How can a person be too righteous or too wise? This is a warning against religious conceit - legalism or false righteousness. Solomon was saying that some people become overly righteous or wise in their own eyes because they are deluded by their own religious acts. They are so rigid or narrow in their views that they lose their sensitivity to the true reason for being good - to honor God. Balance is important. God created us to be whole people who seek His righteousness and goodness. Thus we should avoid both extremes of legalism and immorality.





 
Joe






















 

Anyone can start a project... (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

Ecclesiastes 7:8

 
New International Version (NIV)


 
 

⁸ The end of a matter is better than its beginning,
    and patience is better than pride.



 
To finish what we start takes hard work, wise guidance, self discipline, and patience. Anyone with vision can start a big project. But vision without wisdom often results in unfinished projects and goals.



 
 
Joe



















 

God is in control (Ecclesiastes 6:10)

Ecclesiastes 6:10

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

¹⁰ Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there’s no use arguing with God about your destiny.


 
God knows and directs everything that happens, and He is in complete control over our lives, even though at times it may not seems like it. How foolish it is for us to contend with our Creator, who knows us completely and can see the future. (See Jeremiah 18:6 & Romans 9:19-24 below.)
 
 

Jeremiah 18:6

New Living Translation (NLT)

⁶ “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.
 
 

 

Romans 9:19-24

New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁹ Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”
²⁰ No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” ²¹ When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? ²² In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. ²³ He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. ²⁴ And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.


 
 
Joe

Does wealth bring true happiness? (Ecclesiastes 5:10-11)

Ecclesiastes 5:10-11

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹⁰ Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! ¹¹ The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth—except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!



We always want more than we have. Solomon observed that those who love money and seek it obsessively never find the happiness it promises. Wealth also attracts freeloaders and thieves, causes sleeplessness and fear, and ultimately ends in loss because it must be left behind (see Mark 10:23-25 below). No matter how much you earn, if you try to create happiness by accumulating wealth, you will never have enough. Money in itself is not wrong, but loving money leads to all sorts of sin. Whatever financial situation you are in, don't depend on money to make you happy. Instead, use what you have for the Lord.

Mark 10:23-25

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

²³ Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” ²⁴ This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. ²⁵ In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!”



 
Joe

























 

Chasing the Wind (Ecclesiastes 2:11)

Ecclesiastes 2:11

New Living Translation (NLT)



 

¹¹ But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.






Solomon summarized all his attempts at finding life's meaning as "chasing the wind." We feel the wind as it passes, but we can't catch it or keep it. In all our accomplishments, even the big ones, our good feelings are only temporary. Security and self-worth are not found in these accomplishments, but far beyond them in the love of God. Think about what you consider worthwhile in your life - where you place your time, energy, and money. Will you one day look back and decide that these, too, were a "chasing the wind"?




 
Joe






















 

The price of wisdom (Ecclesiastes 1:16-18)

Ecclesiastes 1:16-18

New Living Translation (NLT)


 

¹⁶ I said to myself, “Look, I am wiser than any of the kings who ruled in Jerusalem before me. I have greater wisdom and knowledge than any of them.” ¹⁷ So I set out to learn everything from wisdom to madness and folly. But I learned firsthand that pursuing all this is like chasing the wind.

¹⁸ The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief.
    To increase knowledge only increases sorrow.




The more you understand, the more pain and difficulty you experience. For example, the more you know, the more imperfection you see around you; and the more you observe, the more evil becomes evident. As you set out with Solomon to find the meaning of life, you must be ready to feel more, think more, question more, hurt more, and do more. Are you ready to pay the price for wisdom?



 
Joe
























 

Stop making useless excuses (Proverbs 26:13-16)

Proverbs 26:13-16

Amplified Bible (AMP)


 

¹³ The sluggard says, There is a lion in the way! A lion is in the streets!
¹⁴ As the door turns on its hinges, so does the lazy man [move not from his place] upon his bed.
¹⁵ The slothful and self-indulgent buries his hand in his bosom; it distresses and wearies him to bring it again to his mouth.
¹⁶ The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes and conceit than seven men who can render a reason and answer discreetly.




 
If a person is not willing to work, he or she can find endless excuses to avoid it. But laziness is more dangerous than a prowling lion. The less you do, the less you want to do, and the more useless you become. To overcome laziness, take a few small steps toward change. Set a concrete, realistic goal. Figure out the steps needed to reach it, and follow those steps. Pray for strength and persistence. To keep your excuses from making you useless, stop making useless excuses.





 
Joe