God is ruler over our prosperity and our disasters. (Isaiah 45:7)

Isaiah 45:7

 

New International Version (NIV)

 

⁷ I form the light and create darkness,
    I bring prosperity and create disaster;
    I, the Lord, do all these things.


God is ruler over light and darkness, over prosperity and disaster. Our lives are sprinkled with both types of experiences, and both are needed for us to grow spiritually. When good times come, thank God and use your prosperity for Him. When bad times come, don't resent them, but ask what you can learn from this refining experience to make you a better servant of God.


Joe

God forgives and forgets. (Isaiah 43:25)

Isaiah 43:25

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁵ “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake
    and will never think of them again.


How tempting it is to remind someone of a past offense ! But when God forgives our sins He totally forgets them. We never have to fear that He will remind us of them later. Because God forgives our sin, we need to forgive others.


Joe




 

Do people see God reflected in you? (Isaiah 43:10-11)

Isaiah 43:10-11

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

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.


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





 

Rivers of difficulty. (Isaiah 43:2)

Isaiah 43:2

New Living Translation (NLT)

² When you go through deep waters,
    I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
    you will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
    you will not be burned up;
    the flames will not consume you.


Going through rivers of difficulty will either cause you to drown or force you to grow stronger. If you go in on your own strength, you are more likely to drown. If you invite the Lord to go in with you, He will protect you.


Joe



 

Call upon God to renew your strength. (Isaiah 40:29-31)

Isaiah 40:29-31

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁹ He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
³⁰ Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
³¹ But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.


Even the strongest people get tired at times, but God's power and strength never diminish. He is never too tired or too busy to help and listen. His strength is our source of strength. When you feel all of life crushing you and cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength.


Joe




 

God's Word is eternal. (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





 

Don't become a slave to your idols. (Isaiah 31:7)

Isaiah 31:7

 

New Living Translation (NLT)

 

⁷ I know the glorious day will come when each of you will throw away the gold idols and silver images your sinful hands have made.

Someday these people will throw their idols away, recognizing that they are nothing but man-made objects. Idols such as money, fame, or success are seductive. Instead of contributing to our spiritual development, they rob us of our time, energy, and devotion that ought to be directed toward God. At first our idols seem exciting and promise to take us places, but in the end we will find that we have become their slaves. We need to recognize their worthlessness now, before they rob us of our freedom.

Joe