Isaiah 40

“Speak tenderly to Jerusalem.  Tell her that her sad days are gone and her sins are pardoned..." Isaiah 40:2 (NLT)


If you haven't read Isaiah 40 lately, I suggest you do so.  The Lord used it this morning to encourage me so so much.  Here are the verses that stuck out to me the most.


"He will feed his flock like a shepherd.  He will carry the lambs in his arms,holding them close to his heart.  He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young." Isaiah 40:11 (NLT)  


What a beautiful picture.  I feel like the Lord Jesus is holding me in His arms today, speaking tenderly to me while He renews my strength.


"O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles?  O Israel, how can you say God ignores your rights? Have you never heard? Have you never understood? 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." Isaiah 40:20-21 (NLT)  


It is a dark place when you think the Lord does not see your troubles.  The Lord revealed to me a couple nights ago that I was believing the lie that He didn't care about me.  As I reject that lie I can see the the Lord is the everlasting God and He loves His children with an everlasting love.  He never grows weak or weary.  He never gives up on me.


"He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary." Isaiah 40:29-31 (NASB)  


He gives strength to the weary.  That is a promise I need right now.  Those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength.  So, it may not be in our timing, we will have to wait on Him.  But He WILL give us strength.  He delights to give His strength to the weary because we know it's not us, we don't have any strength of our own, we are fully dependent upon the grace of God to strengthen us.


I think that is my new theme: I am absolutely fully dependent upon the grace of my God.  I am empty.  I am weak.  I am weary.  But in my God is fullness, strength, and rest.  I praise Him that He can do much with an empty vessel.

What have you been eating?

"But He answered and said, 'It is written, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." ' " Matthew 4:4

"My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work." John 4:34

"Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will not thirst.' " John 6:35

As I read these three verses, a question comes to mind: "What have I been eating?"  For real, what do I receive sustenance from?  What do I live on?  Where do I go when I'm hungry?

So, for me, these verses have been an exhortation to feed on Christ who is the bread of life.  I would like to extend the exhortation.  Brothers and sisters, let us live not on bread alone, let us live by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God (there's a whole lot of them recorded for us in that leather bound book we carry around all the time).  Let us receive life from coming to our Lord, listening to Him, and doing His will.

I shall be whiter than snow

“For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” Psalm 51:3

I feel like this is the one verse in Psalm 51 that I most relate to, especially in the last several weeks. My mind so often wanders to all the sins I have committed and all the nastiness in my flesh. However, as is true in most cases, it's a bad idea to take this verse by itself. All of Psalm 51 is excellent, but here are a few of the verses that stick out the most to me:

“Purify me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7

Perhaps it would be helpful to keep in mind as we read these verses that God answers prayers that are according to His will. And the purification of His children is certainly according to God's will. So, as I cry out to the Lord, I am assured that He will indeed purify me. He will indeed wash me. And I will be clean. I will be whiter than snow.

“Make me to hear joy and gladness, let the bones which You have broken rejoice.” Psalm 51:8

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10

“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.” Psalm 51:12

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who lives, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” Romans 8:2

About a month ago, the Lord revealed a ton of sin and ways I have been walking according to the flesh. This conviction led to brokenness. And that is good. However it has also led to a lot of condemnation which is not good (check out Romans 8:1, it's good news). So, brokenness good, condemnation bad. We'll come back to condemnation. As I cry out to the Lord to purify me, to wash me, to create in me a clean heart, I can also ask Him to make the bones which He has broken rejoice. Because this brokenness, while painful, is excellent because it shows me that in my flesh no good thing dwells (Romans 7:18). It brings me to Galatians 2:20. It brings me to complete and utter dependence upon Christ for everything. Not a single bit of goodness can come from my flesh. The only good thing in me is Jesus Christ.

As I have struggled with condemnation, the Lord has led me to Romans 8:2. It is the law of the Spirit of LIFE in Christ Jesus that has set us free from the law of sin and of death. As I meditated on this verse, the Lord brought me to John 8:1-11, the story of a woman caught in adultery. This woman was guilty and she knew it. She deserved to die and she knew it. I can just imagine the weight of the law of sin and death that weighed upon her. She was literally about to be stoned. But Jesus set her free. I often feel that weight of the law of sin and death. You know, you sin you deserve death. I know that I have sinned, and I know that I deserve to die. So as I continue to see sin in my life, even though I know the price has been paid by Christ, I still feel like I should die. But as with the woman caught in adultery, I have been set free. I am no longer bound by the law of sin and of death. Instead, I am bound by the law of the Spirit of life.

Do not lean on your own understanding

Proverbs 3:5-8 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.  It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones."

I have been struggling this past week with conviction turning into condemnation.  The conviction was real and from the Lord.  But the enemy took opportunity by it to speak to me that I should just shut down, not even try anymore because everything I do is calculated to bring myself glory.  If I were to lean on my own understanding, I would listen to the enemy because everything I see is my terribly ugly flesh trying to exalt itself.  But I am called not to lean on my understanding, but to trust in the Lord with all my heart.  I am called to turn away from evil.  I do not just sit there, look at the evil in my flesh, and cry about it.  I turn away from it.   In this I find healing and refreshment.  I acknowledge Him, cry out to Him, tell Him I can't do anything without Him, and He makes my paths straight. 

I am thankful anew today for Christ.  For His righteousness.  For His love.  For His faith.  I am thankful that Christ lives in me, and therefore I have been given His righteousness, His love, His faith.  I am thankful that there is no penance needed, that I simply must turn from the nastiness of my flesh to the beauty of Christ.  That in Christ I have the ability to act righteously, to love without thought of myself, to stand firm in faith.  So, praise the Lord!