Today’s Reading: Isaiah 13-25,30

What must it have been like for the followers of Jesus the day after His crucifixion? He told them He would be back, that He would rise from the dead, but they did not understand. Their emotions were mixed with sorrow and fear. Some, like Peter, must have felt strong regret over their lack of faith in the difficulties of the day before. This day between the crucifixion and the resurrection, the period of waiting to see what God will do next, waiting for God’s help. Have you been in this place before – in this TIME IN BETWEEN? Are you, even now, waiting to see what God will do next?

In Isaiah, we see the Israelites in a similar holding pattern. They knew God was upset with them for their consistent flopping between faithfulness and fickleness. They knew they were about to experience the consequences of their generational choices. They could look back and see the many ways in which God had rescued them and they could look forward to the coming destruction the prophets were describing. In the meantime, in the TIME IN BETWEEN, they waited for God’s help.

But the Israelites had a pattern of looking to their enemies for rescue instead of looking to their God. These enemies were receiving their own message from the prophets foretelling the wrath of God they were about to experience. Because they chose to battle God’s people, destruction and punishment would be in their future. Yet Israel foolishly looked to Egypt for rescue, begging them for a supply of horses for their army (2 Kings 18:24). But God desired for them to call upon His name and look to Him for help in the midst of trouble.

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved.
In quietness and confidence is your strength.
But you would have none of it.
You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt.
They will give us swift horses riding into battle.’…

So the Lord must wait for you to COME TO HIM so he can show you his love and compassion.
For the Lord is a faithful God. Blessed are those who wait for his help. – Isaiah 30:15-16a, 18

This verse was so convicting to me this morning. How often do I get impatient waiting on God and try to make things happen through another source or my own strength? I need to stop reaching out to “Egypt” and come to God with a willingness to WAIT for his help…in his time…his way.

He will be gracious if you ASK for help.
He will surely respond to the sound of your cries.
Though the Lord gave you adversity for food and suffering for drink,
HE WILL STILL BE WITH YOU to teach you.
You will see your teacher with your own eyes. 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.
Then you will destroy all your silver idols and your precious gold images.
You will throw them out like filthy rags, saying to them “Good riddance!” – Isaiah 30:19-22

It is time to throw out MY plans and MY idols – all of the things in my life that I have made more important than waiting on God. It’s time to throw them out and say, “Good riddance! I choose God!”

At times God’s plan for me may include adversity to teach me or guide me. Sometimes the adversity is the result of my own mistakes but He doesn’t leave me to experience my consequences alone. He doesn’t abandon me in my TIME IN BETWEEN. He stays with me and is my teacher. I hear His voice, “This is the way you should go.” During the hard times, I can rest in Him.

Then the Lord will bless you with rain at planting time. There will be wonderful harvests and plenty of pastureland for your livestock. The oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat good grain, its chaff blown away by the wind. In that day, when your enemies are slaughtered and the towers fall, there will be streams of water flowing down every mountain and hill. The moon will be as bright as the sun, and the sun will be seven times brighter – like the light of seven days in one! So it will be when the Lord begins to heal his people and cure the wounds HE gave them. – Isaiah 30:23-26

And so, in the TIME IN BETWEEN, I can wait. I can trust and rest in the knowledge that God is good and that God is present and that God is coming!

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord!
Make it a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!
Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills.
Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.
Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.
The Lord has spoken!”

“Shout that people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fade beneath the breath of the Lord. And so it is with people.
The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever.” – Isaiah 40:3-8

I can wait on God knowing that He is coming! He is my deliverer and my Lord, in whom I trust and for whom I wait. Anything else I could reach out to or cling to will fade away because nothing else is eternal. The word of my God stands forever and He is coming!!!

Yes, the Sovereign Lord is coming in power. He will rule with a powerful arm.
See, he brings his reward with him as he comes. 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 40:10-11

The Lord is coming. And so, like Mary, we watch and we wait. We watch, knowing God is aware and has a plan. We wait, knowing God’s timing is always perfect.

Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a long sheet of clean linen cloth. He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left. Both Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting across from the tomb and watching. – Matthew 27:59-61

Today’s Reading: Isaiah 53, Psalm 111; Matthew 26:36-27:61

God used Isaiah to help His people understand what was about to happen to them – how they were about to go into a time of captivity and exile as a consequence of years of unfaithfulness. It was not all bad news, though. Isaiah also spoke boldly that God had a plan – a plan of REDEMPTION and RESTORATION. They would return again one day and they would rebuild what was about to be destroyed.

Part of God’s plan of restoration revealed through the prophet Isaiah was in regards to the Messiah. Isaiah foretold how he would grow, be rejected and beaten, killed and placed in a rich man’s tomb. This righteous servant would die, bearing all our sins and making it possible for the many to be counted righteous. Consider this morning the sacrifice of our Savior.

My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him.
He was despised and rejected – a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care. – Isaiah 53:2-3

Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.”

But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” – Luke 22:39-48

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed. – Isaiah 53:4-5

“Crucify him!”
“Why?” Pilate demanded. “What crime has he committed?”
But the mob roared even louder, “Crucify him!”

So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to be crucified…They dressed him in a purple robe, and they wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head. Then they saluted him and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they struck him on the head with a reed stick, spit on him, and dropped to their knees in mock worship…Then they led him away to be crucified. – Mark 15:13-15, 17-20

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. – Isaiah 53:6

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” – Matthew 27:45-46

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.
Unjustly condemned, he was led away. – Isaiah 53:7-8a

But when the leading priests and the elders made their accusations against him, Jesus remained silent. “Don’t you hear all these charges they are bringing against you?” Pilate demanded. But Jesus made no response to any of the charges, much to the governor’s surprise. – Matthew 27:12-14

No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.
He had done no wrong and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich man’s grave… – Isaiah 53:8b-9

Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph…He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. – Luke 23:50-53

And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.
I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels. – Isaiah 53:11b-12

Lord, this morning we give you honor. Thank you for dying so that we could be restored from our sinful condition. Thank you for reminding me again this morning of your generous gift of redemption – that you made it possible for me to be counted righteous by bearing my sins on the cross. For that gift I am forever thankful! We have so much to thank you for – protection, provision, your generous love outpoured. Thank you for pointing my thankful heart back to the biggest reason I have to give you praise!

Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart…
He has paid a full ransom for his people.
He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!…
Praise him forever! – Psalm 111:1,9-10

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 18; Isaiah 9-12; 2 Chronicles 29-31; Psalm 100

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation. – Psalm 100:4-5

Hezekiah, the son of Ahaz, was 25 years old when he became the next king of Judah. He behaved in ways that were pleasing to the Lord, removing pagan shrines and also breaking the bronze serpent to which God’s people were offering sacrifices. (2 Kings 18:1-4). He repaired the Temple and reopened its doors, calling his country to return to the Lord in submission, coming to the Temple and worshiping the Lord God.

“For if you return to the Lord, your relatives and your children will be treated mercifully by their captors, and they will be able to return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful. If you return to him, he will not continue to turn his face from you.” – 2 Chronicles 30:9

THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL.

Hezekiah trusted in the Lord and remained faithful in everything he did, carefully obeying all the commands the Lord had given Moses. Hezekiah brought back the celebration of Passover and required his people to tithe so they would devote themselves fully to the Law of the Lord (2 Chron. 31:4). And here’s the good part – So the Lord was with him and Hezekiah was successful in everything he did (2 Kings 18:7).

In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God WHOLEHEARTEDLY. As a result, he was very successful. – 2 Chron. 31:20-21

Oh the blessings God bestows on those who faithfully obey Him! He longs to generously pour out His love on His people when they follow Him in obedience. Do you recognize the many ways in which God is blessing your obedience?

THE EVIDENCE THAT GOD CARES FOR YOU IS ALL AROUND. DO YOU SEE IT?

“Even an ox knows its owner, and a donkey recognizes its master’s care – but Israel doesn’t know its master. My people don’t recognize my care for them.” – Isaiah 1:3

I wonder how often I fail to recognize God’s blessings in my life – His care for me. This morning I long to wrap my mind around how incredible God is toward me DAILY! My prayer is that the death of Christ and His resurrection continues to get our attention; that we are able to recognize God’s favor and His care and that our hearts will respond in sincere thanksgiving toward our Creator, Provider and Friend.

“I will praise you, O Lord!
You were angry with me, but not anymore. Now you comfort me.
See, God has come to save me.
I will trust in him and not be afraid.
The Lord God is my strength and my song, he has given me victory.”

With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!
In that wonderful day you will sing:
“Thank the Lord! Praise his name!
Tell the nations what he has done.
Let them know how mighty he is!
Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful things.
Make known his praise around the world.
Let the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy!
For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.” – Isaiah 12:1-6

O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God.
You do such wonderful things!
You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them…
“This is our God!
We trusted in him, and he saved us!
This is the Lord, in whom we trusted.
Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” – Isaiah 25:1,9

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal rock…
For those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough.
You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.
Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws;
Our heart’s desire is to glorify your name.
All night long I search for you;
In the morning I earnestly seek for God. – Isaiah 26:3-4,7-9a

I love that last verse. It describes how I wake up in the morning – with a longing to hear from God. He is so faithful to meet us when we turn to Him!

EVERY GOOD AND WONDERFUL THING IN MY LIFE IS A GIFT FROM GOD!

Oh Lord, thank you so much for your tender care of me. When I am scared or lonely, you comfort me. When I am happy, it is because you have filled me with your joy. As I start a new day, I trust in you for what is ahead. You are my eternal rock and I long to fix my thoughts on you and stay there. The road ahead is unknown but I believe the way will not be steep or rough, for you will smooth out the path ahead for me. Glory to God in the Highest! Praise His Name!!!

Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. – Psalm 100:1-3

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 27-28, Isaiah 1-8; Psalm 39

Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem 16 years. He did NOT do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord, as his ancestor David had done…Because of all this, the Lord his God allowed the king of Aram to defeat Ahaz and to exile large numbers of his people to Damascus. The armies of the king of Israel also defeated Ahaz and inflicted many casualties on his army…At that time King Ahaz of Judah asked the king of Assyria for help…Even during this time of trouble, King Ahaz continued to reject the Lord. – 2 Chronicles 28:1,5,16,22

BUT SHOULDN’T PEOPLE ASK GOD FOR GUIDANCE?

Should the living seek guidance from the dead? Look to God’s instructions and teachings! – Isaiah 8:19b-20a

Ahaz was still a young man when he became king of Judah, so naturally he looked to others for help. But why not look to the One who held the plan? Why not trust in God for rescue? It was during this time in Judah’s history that God called the prophet Isaiah to speak His message loud and clear: You CAN depend on God and it is foolishness to trust in anything or anyone else but God!

Don’t put your trust in mere humans.
They are as frail as breath. What good are they? – Isaiah 2:22

The horrible time that Judah was experiencing was a consequence of their sin. They needed the reminder that we serve a God who is able to break the power of sin and help us survive the mess we have made. When we look around and trouble surrounds us, when all we can see is the result of bad decisions and sinful actions, we can know that OUR GOD IS THERE TO GUIDE US OUT OF THE PREDICAMENT WE FIND OURSELVES IN. The secret – surrender and trust in God so that we can experience the grace that rescues God’s people from the consequences of their sins.

“Come now, let’s settle this,” says the Lord.
Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them white as snow.
Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool.
If you will only obey me…” – Isaiah 1:18-19a

WHY DO WE PUT OUR TRUST IN HUMANS?

God’s grace and mercy are calling out to us. He is eager to wash us clean and restore our relationship with Him. So what keeps us from running back into His arms? Why do we turn to other people or to other solutions for help when our Creator and loving Father is beckoning us? Is it pride? Do we struggle to find the humility needed to repent of our sins?

Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled.
Only the Lord will be exalted on the day of judgment.
For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has a day of reckoning.
He will punish the proud and mighty and bring down everything that is exalted…
Human pride will be humbled and human arrogance will be brought down.
Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment. – Isaiah 2:11-12,17

King Ahaz and the people were trembling with fear and the Lord sent Isaiah to them. He had this message for the king: Stop worrying. You do not need to fear the fierce anger of other nations. But unless your faith is firm, I cannot make you stand firm (Isaiah 7:2-9).

God said: “Ask the Lord your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want – as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.”

Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? All right then, the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). By the time this child is old enough to choose what is right and reject what is wrong, he will be eating yogurt and honey. For before the child is that old, the lands of the two kings you fear so much will both be deserted.” – Isaiah 7:11-16

DO YOU NEED A SIGN FROM GOD?

Do you need confirmation that your God is trustworthy and wants to restore you? Are you trembling with fear and in need of faith so that God can help you stand firm against what you are facing? Look – the sign you are seeking is in His Son, Jesus Christ.

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of Jacob’s God.
There he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths.” – Isaiah 2:3b

Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
He is the One you should fear.
He is the One who should make you tremble.
He will keep you safe…

May this be our testimony today, no matter what we are facing:
I will wait for the Lord…I will put my hope in him. – Isaiah 8:13-14a,17

“Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.
Remind me that my days are numbered – how fleeting my life is.
You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand.
My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best, each of us is but a breath.”

We are merely moving shadows, and all our busy rushing ends in nothing.
We heap up wealth, not knowing who will spend it.
And so, Lord, where do I put my hope?
My only hope is in you.
Rescue me from my rebellion… – Psalm 39:4-8a

One of my favorite verses and another great verse to memorize:
Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. – Psalm 62:5-6

Today’s Reading: Amos

Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets. – Amos 3:7

God used MANY prophets during the days of the kings to warn His people of what was ahead, an attempt to draw them out of their sin and back to Him. Amos was one of those men, only he would not have considered himself a prophet. Amos was simply a shepherd with a heart open to doing anything God asked him to do, even if he felt unqualified for it. Here is what Amos had to say about his call from God:

“I’m not a professional prophet, and I was never trained to be one. I’m just a shepherd, and I take care of sycamore fig trees. But the Lord called me away from my flock and told me, ‘Go and prophesy to my people in Israel.’” – Amos 7:14-15

I’M JUST A SHEPHERD WITH A WILLING HEART.

I love his heart! I love how Amos was just minding his own business, doing his thing, when God called him away to do His work, and Amos responding with a willing heart. This is in direct contrast to what was happening among God’s people at that time. Amos’ call was to speak of God’s judgment on His people. Here was God’s accusation against His people.

The behavior of God’s people, the nation of Israel & Judah as well as six other nations, could be narrowed down to three words – arrogance, selfishness, and pretense. They put their own selfish desires for luxury before the needs of others around them. They were abusive and oppressive to those who had less than they did – the weak, the needy, and the poor. They ignored the needs of others and filled their hunger for earthly possessions. Because of this, God’s judgment was going to fall HARD on these people.

GOD IS PLEASED WITH HUMILITY, NOT ARROGANCE.

This should be of significance for those of us who have been blessed with so much. God was clear in Amos’ prophecies that He was done with the arrogance of a nation who felt they were better than others. He was going to punish this selfish generation who put their own needs ahead of the needs of others. He was bringing judgment on those who continued to go through the motions of worship and the rituals of sacrifice but who were not living a lifestyle of sacrifice and worship.

God did not choose judgment before first drawing His people to Himself, but they would not listen.

“I brought hunger…but still you would not return to me…
I kept rain from falling when your crops needed it the most…but still you would not return to me…
I struck your farms and vineyards…but still you would not return to me…
I sent plagues…but still you would not return to me…
I destroyed some of your cities…but still you would not return to me…
THEREFORE I will bring upon you all the disasters I have announced.
Prepare to meet your God in judgment, you people of Israel!” – Amos 4:6-12

God is not part of this world and cannot be manipulated by it. He determines how people can come to him. Attending church regularly, paying tithe and going through the rituals of being a believer are not substitutes for a GENUINE heart.

GOD IS LOOKING FOR A GENUINE HEART.

“I hate all of your show and pretense – the hypocrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies. I will not accept your burnt offerings and grain offerings. I won’t even notice all your choice peace offerings. Away with your noisy hymns of praise! I will not listen to the music of your harps. Instead, I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living.” – Amos 5:21-24

“You sing trivial songs to the sound of a harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David. You drink wine by the bowlful and perfume yourselves with fragrant lotions. You care nothing about the ruin of your nation. Therefore, you will be the first to be led away as captives. Suddenly, all your parties will end.” – Amos 6:5-7

GOD DECLARES – THE PARTY’S OVER!

God’s people had a false notion of privilege. They continued to live a life of self-indulgence and spoke of how they were looking forward to the day of the Lord but they did not realize the Lord was coming not to absolve their sinfulness but to punish them. They believed the covenant God had made with His people allowed them to live as they pleased – arrogance, selfishness and pretense – but God required righteous living. They lived as if God owed them salvation and eternal life because of a decision made a long time ago. But God does not ignore sin (7:8). This is His call to His people:

“Come back to me and live!…
Do what is good and run from evil so that you may live!
Then the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will be your helper, just as you have claimed.
Hate evil and love what is good; turn your courts into true halls of justice.
Perhaps even yet the Lord God of Heaven’s Armies will have mercy on the remnant of his people.” – Amos 5:4b,14-15

Lord, forgive us for our moments of arrogance when we think too much of ourselves and too little of others. Forgive us for living comfortably with all you have blessed us with while others around us are in need. Forgive us for our attitudes of privilege and expectations of rewards because of a decision we made a long time ago, when we have stopped living the righteous life you have called us to. Open our eyes and call us out of our own agendas for today. We desire to respond to your call on our lives and do whatever you are asking us to do. Thank you for being a God who loves us enough to draw us to yourself. Thank you for your love and for your justice. Amen.

Today’s Reading: Jonah

God used many prophets during the reign of kings over Israel and Judah, sending some of his prophets even to the enemy nations to preach repentance. Some prophets went willingly and some struggled to reflect God’s mercy toward sinners. One of those struggling prophets, probably the first one that comes to your mind, was Jonah.

The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.” But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish. – Jonah 1:1-3

WHY DO WE THINK WE CAN OUTRUN GOD?

Seriously. Why do we think we know what is best? He creates this perfect plan for our lives and we whine, complain and argue that there is a better way. We expect God’s plan to look one way and then there is, what seems to be, a change of plans and we rebel. We were content doing what He had asked us to do, where He had asked us to do it, but now He is moving us to a new ministry, a new job, a new home, a new call. We hope to escape from what He is asking us to do but God pursues us because He loves us!

But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. – Jonah 1:4

WHILE WE ARE RUNNING, GOD IS INTERVENING.

God stood between Jonah and Jonah’s alternative plan, and God got his attention – not in a quiet whisper but with a violent storm. After trying everything else, the crew on the ship threw Jonah overboard at his suggestion, for all of them knew that Jonah was running from the Lord. God had a plan, God intervened in Jonah’s life and now God had a way to get Jonah back on track. Granted this was probably not the way Jonah would have chosen, but Jonah was the one who was on a side track from the Lord’s will and this new plan was a consequence of Jonah’s own willful disobedience.

Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. – Jonah 1:17

Jonah recognized God’s intervention and prayed from inside the belly of the fish. Jonah was still not where he wanted to be and still not in a comfortable place in life, yet he knew God was at work and thanked Him for hearing his cry for help. He promised God that he would once more look toward God’s holy temple instead of running the opposite direction.

“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble,
and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,
and Lord, you heard me!
You threw me into the ocean depths,
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath YOUR wild and stormy waves.
Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence.
Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’ – Jonah 2:2-4

The Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach. As Jonah promised, he obediently went to Ninevah and preached a message of judgment on the city of Ninevah. The people, including their king, started fasting and putting on burlap to show how sorry they were for their sins. God again changed the plan on Jonah. He forgave the people of Ninevah and did not destroy the city.

WHY DO WE WHINE, COMPLAIN & ARGUE WITH GOD IN OUR ANGER?

This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?” – Jonah 4:1-4

Once again, Jonah whines and complains and even argues with God, because he is not happy with God’s plan. He is more consumed with how this change in plans will make him look, more disappointed that the people will not be punished, than he is thankful for God’s redemption. He goes outside of the city and sits under the shade of a plant to pout but God sends a worm and the plant dies, which angers Jonah. God asks him a very direct question, a question that is good for me today – a question for all of us.

Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?” – Jonah 4:9-11

WHILE WE ARE FEELING SORRY FOR OURSELVES, GOD’S HEART IS RESPONDING TO THE LOST.

Oh the heart of a God who loves His creation! Lord, fill us with this same kind of love for others. Bring us to our knees in prayer for those who are lost. Fill our hearts with your mercy. Get our attention. Forgive us when we whine and complain over your plan because we like our plan better. You are Lord and we have no right to be angry with you when we don’t get our way. Bring our hearts to a point of submission – your will, your way, in your time! We love you, Lord. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 10-17; 2 Chronicles 23-26; Psalm 78

For he divided the sea and led them through, making the water stand up like walls!
In the daytime he led them by a cloud, and all night by a pillar of fire.
He split open rocks in the wilderness to give them water, as from a gushing spring.
He made streams pour from the rock, making the waters flow down like a river.
Yet they kept sinning against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert…
Despite his wonders, they refused to trust him…
When God began killing them, they finally sought him.
They repented and took God seriously.
Then they remembered that God was their rock, that God Most High was their redeemer.
But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues.
Their hearts were not loyal to him.
They did not keep his covenant.
Yet he was merciful and forgave their sins and did not destroy them all…
Again and again they tested God’s patience… – Psalm 78:13-17a,32b,34-38a,41a

Have you ever known someone you would quickly describe as “fickle”? Do you have a friend, coworker or family member who is quick to change their loyalty, affection or interest? It is difficult to keep up with fickle friends. They speak and live one way today, and seem like a different person wanting different things out of life tomorrow.

The history of God’s people at this time displays their fickle hearts. They would worship God for a time and then go back to their selfish, evil ways. They would turn their hearts to God but not wholeheartedly. They would keep things in their life that would cause them to be distracted and disloyal. This pattern led to the eventual decline and exile of the people of Israel, as well as the destruction of Jerusalem.

Elisha sent a young prophet to anoint Jehu the next king of Israel. The call God had on Jehu’s life was to destroy the family of Ahab. Jehu accomplished what God had commanded him to do, also destroying every trace of Baal worship from Israel, but he did not destroy the gold calves at Bethel and Dan.

Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with ALL his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit. – 2 Kings 10:31

King Jehoahaz did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and experienced the result of God’s anger. He prayed for the Lord’s help and the Lord heard his prayer. The Lord rescued Israel from their enemies and allowed them to live in peace again. BUT they continued to sin during the reign of King Jehoahaz and the next king – Jehoash. So God allowed the king of Aram to oppress Israel.

But the Lord was gracious and merciful to the people of Israel, and they were not totally destroyed. He pitied them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. – 2 Kings 13:23

It was during the reign of King Jehoahaz that Israel and Judah once again went to battle against each other – brother against brother. After his death, King Jehoahaz’s son, Jeroboam II, ruled over Israel and King Amaziah’s 16-year-old son, Uzziah, ruled over Judah. Jeroboam II did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord (14:24), but Uzziah did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight. Well, almost. Uzziah did not destroy ALL the pagan shrines, leaving opportunity for the nation to once more sin against God (15:4).

The pattern of unfaithfulness in Israel:
Zechariah did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, refusing to turn away from sin.
Shallum became the next king of Israel until he was assassinated by Menahem, who also did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.
His son, Pekahiah, followed in his father’s evil footsteps and was assassinated by the son of the Commander of his army, Pekah.
Pekah reigned for 20 years, until he was assassinated by Hoshea, who reigned for nine years until he was captured and imprisoned by the king of Assyria.

This disaster came upon the people of Israel because they worshiped other gods. They sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them safely out of Egypt and had rescued them from the power of Pharoah, the king of Egypt…The people of Israel had also secretly done many things that were not pleasing to the Lord their God…Yes, they worshiped idols, despite the Lord’s specific and repeated warnings.

Again and again the Lord had sent his prophets and seers to warn both Israel and Judah…But the Israelites would not listen. They were as stubborn as their ancestors who had refused to believe in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors, and they despised all his warnings. They worship worthless idols, so they became worthless themselves. – 2 Kings 17:7-15

Because of their idolatry and rejection of God’s covenant, the Lord swept them away from his presence. He punished them by handing them over to their enemies, banishing Israel from the presence of the Lord. So Israel was exiled from the Promised Land to the land of Assyria (17:23).

God made it clear generation after generation – “Do not worship any other gods or bow before them or serve them or offer sacrifices to them. But worship only the Lord, who brought you out of Egypt with great strength and a powerful arm. Bow down to him alone and offer sacrifices only to him. Be careful at all times to obey the decrees, regulations, instructions, and commands that he wrote for you. You must not worship other gods. Do not forget the covenant I made with you, and do not worship other gods. You must worship only the Lord your God. He is the one who will rescue you from all your enemies.” – 2 Kings 17:35b-39

Lord, would you please reveal anything I have kept in my life that is becoming a distraction from serving you with my whole heart? Shine your light on any traces of disloyalty or fickleness in my life. Fill my heart with the strong desire to obey and serve you wholeheartedly. Reveal anything in my life today that has taken priority over my covenant relationship with you.

Lord, I long to serve you with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my strength and with all my mind. I long to dwell in your presence and worship you – the God who has brought me out of my Egypt with great strength and a powerful arm. Today, I choose to worship you and only you! I want to be faithful and not fickle. Amen.

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 7-9; 2 Chronicles 22; Psalm 19, 51

The king of Aram had great admiration for the commander of his army, Naaman, because through him the Lord had given Aram great victories. But although Naaman was a mighty warrior, he suffered from leprosy. – 2 Kings 5:1

Even though God was doing great things through Naaman, even though Naaman was a mighty warrior, there was still something in his life that he was suffering with – something he needed God to heal in order to be whole.

A young Israeli slave who had been taken captive by the Aramean army told Naaman’s wife about a prophet in Samaria who could heal her master of his leprosy. Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said. Misunderstanding the message, the king sent Naaman to the king of Israel with gifts, asking for the king himself to heal Naaman. Tearing his clothes in dismay he cried out, “Am I God that I can give life and take it away?” (2 Kings 5:7)

When the prophet Elisha heard about this, he sent a message to the king for Naaman to be brought to him. When Naaman and his entourage showed up at the door, Elisha sent a messenger out to Naaman: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.”

But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me! Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers in Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?” So Naaman turned and went away in a rage. – 2 Kings 5:10-12

HOW DO WE REACT WHEN GOD TELLS US TO DO SOMETHING WE DO NOT WANT TO DO?

ARE THERE TIMES WHEN PRIDE GETS IN THE WAY OF FOLLOWING GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS?

WHAT IS MY RESPONSE WHEN GOD ANSWERS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN I THOUGHT HE WOULD?

Naaman’s officers reasoned with him and convinced Naaman to go down to the muddy waters of the Jordan River. He dipped himself seven times, just as the man of God had instructed him. His skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child and he was healed! (2 Kings 5:13-14)

This story reminds me of our own stubborn behavior. We want God to heal us or to make us whole but we have a preconceived idea of how He should do that. What God desires is obedience and complete surrender to whatever He tells us to do – for physical healing or spiritual cleansing.

HOW OFTEN DO OUR PRECONCEIVED IDEAS GET IN THE WAY OF OUR OBEDIENCE?

Let’s dip into the words of King David as he asked God to cleanse him from his unrighteousness after he had committed adultery with Bathsheba. Let’s allow Psalm 51 to wash over us in complete surrender to the God who heals and makes us whole again. Perhaps God is doing mighty things in your life and through your life, but you need Him to remind you today that you have been forgiven and He has washed you clean. Let’s dip seven times in the river of God.

Dip #1: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.

Dip #2: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

Dip #3: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Against you and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.

Dip #4: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. Oh give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice. Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.

Dip #5: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit with within me. Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Dip #6: Create in me a clean heart, O God. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you.

Dip #7: Create in me a clean heart, O God. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repent heart, O God.

“Go in peace,” Elisha said. So Naaman started home again (2 Kings 5:19).

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Keep your servant from deliberate sins!
Don’t let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. – Psalm 19:12-14

Today’s Reading: 2 Kings 1-6; 2 Chronicles 21; Psalm 86

Elijah knew God was about to take him to heaven and so he asked his assistant Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken away.” Without hesitation, Elisha replied, “Please let me inherit a double portion of your spirit and become your successor” (2 Kings 2:9). In other words, I WANT WHAT YOU HAVE!

God saw the desire of Elisha’s heart. He saw that this request was not for his own glory or to boost his own pride, but that he wanted to live the kind of life that would make an impact on those around him. He felt God calling him and was praying for God to richly equip him for his calling. His prayer was very similar to the prayer of King Solomon, asking God to give him wisdom to fulfill God’s purpose in his life (king). Elisha had been watching God work in a mighty way through Elijah and he desired for God to use him in the same way. And that is exactly what God did.

ELISHA ASKED FOR A DOUBLE PORTION OF THE SPIRIT AND WAS ABLE TO DO MIRACULOUS THINGS.

Just as Elijah had done, Elisha was able to part the waters of the Jordan River by striking it and walk across on dry land (2 Kings 2:14).

Elisha came to the city of Jericho, which did not have a clean water source, causing death and infertility as well as the land to be unproductive affecting their food supply. Elisha placed salt in the water supply and healed the water, breathing new life into the town (2 Kings 2:19-21).

Elisha heard from the Lord and told the Kings of Israel, Judah and Edom that God would provide water for their men and animals, as well as victory over the King of Moab. By having a double portion of the Spirit, Elisha was able to enter God’s presence and hear from God. God spoke through Elisha (2 Kings 3:15-18).

There was a widow of one of the prophets whose sons were about to be sold as slaves in order to repay her debt. Elisha was able to take the only thing she had left, a flask of olive oil, and make it a source of income for her by filling every available jar in the village with olive oil. By doing this, God provided for the widow and her two sons (2 Kings 4:1-7).

Elisha wanted to thank a woman who had been kind to him and provided him with a place to stay. He inquired as to what she needed and found out that she did not have a son. Elisha prophesied, “Next year at this time you will be holding a son in your arms,” and that is exactly what happened (2 Kings 4:8-17).

When that same boy died and his mother grieved heavily, Elisha was able to stretch himself out across the child and bring him back to life (2 Kings 4:18-35).

When poisonous fruit was mistakenly added to a stew being prepared for the prophets during a time of famine, Elisha was able to add flour to the stew and heal it so that the group would have something to eat (2 Kings 4:38-41).

During this same time of famine, Elisha was able to bless a sack of bread and have it feed a large group of people with food leftover – sounds familiar doesn’t it? (2 Kings 4:42-44)

When Naaman, the commander of the Aramean army, was struck with leprosy, Elisha instructed him to dip himself in the Jordan River seven times and Naaman was healed. Through his healing, Naaman came to believe in the one true God (2 Kings 5:1-15).

Elisha was able to retrieve a borrowed ax head that had fallen into the river by breaking a stick and throwing it in where the ax head had landed, causing it to float to the surface. To us that may seem like a small miracle but to the man who would have been unable to repay the one from whom he had borrowed the ax head, it was huge (2 Kings 6:1-7).

Elisha was able to save the Israelite army from ambush time and time again by revealing to them where the Aramean army was waiting to attack them. When the king sent his troops to seize Elisha, he was able to speak the word and the entire Aramean army was blinded. At the same time, he was able to speak the word and allow his servant to see the heavenly troops and chariots of fire surrounding them to protect them from their enemy (2 Kings 6:8-18).

WHY DON’T WE ASK GOD FOR A DOUBLE PORTION OF HIS SPIRIT?

So what stops us from asking God for a double portion of His Spirit so that God can use us in a mighty way in the lives of those around us? With the Spirit in our lives, dry ground can be walked upon, water can be healed, God can be heard, needs can be provided, wombs can be filled, the dead can be raised, the hungry can be fed, the sick can be healed, the lost can be found and enemies can be defeated.

If we are not living that kind of life, perhaps it is because we have not asked God to do those kinds of miracles around us. Perhaps we are not living the kind of faith that expects God to move mightily ahead of us. Or perhaps our prayer needs to start by asking God to change the desires of our heart – to send His Spirit to create in us a desire to do what God desires to do today.

I know I need a double portion of His Spirit just to make it through a full week of responsibilities, patience with others, and wisdom to make godly decisions. I need the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control) in order to make a positive difference in the lives of others. I want to do more than just survive my week. I want to be used by God in a powerful way through the infilling of His Spirit.

I WANT WHAT YOU HAVE!

Heavenly Father, may I have a double portion please? May I have more of your Spirit than I have ever had before. Dear God, I WANT WHAT YOU HAVE! Lord, I give you my heart and ask for you to make it beat in unison with yours.

You are my God…
I give myself to you…
You are great and perform wonderful deeds.
You alone are God.
Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.
With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever, for your love for me is great. – Psalm 86:2,4,10-13a

Today’s Reading: 2 Chronicles 18-20; 1 Kings 20-22; Psalm 21

The story of Elijah reminds us that our God is the God who provides. When Elijah needed a place to hide, God provided safety by Kerith Brook. He sent ravens to bring Elijah bread and meat every morning and every evening. Then God allowed the brook to dry up because He needed to use Elijah in the life of a widow and her son, who were about to eat the last of their food. God showed up and provided more than enough. Then the widow’s son died and God heard Elijah’s prayer, raising her son from the dead.

When Elijah needed to prove to the nation that there is only one true god, God provided evidence of His existence and His power. He provided fire for Elijah’s sacrifice and He provided the much needed rain for His people. When things got rough for Elijah, God came through again, providing His presence to remind Elijah that He is always with us and that we can always trust Him. In today’s scripture, we find the faithfulness of God providing victory for His people over and over again.

THE BATTLE IS NOT YOURS, BUT GOD’S (2 Chron. 20:15b)

As I read through the accounts of the Kings of Judah and Israel, it is encouraging to me how often God fought the battle for His people. All they had to do was position themselves, committed fully to Him, sit back and watch the victory.

When Judah realized that they were being attacked from the front and the rear, they cried out to the Lord for help. Then the priests blew the trumpets, and the men of Judah began to shout. At the sound of their battle cry, GOD DEFEATED Jeroboam and all Israel and routed them before Abijah and the army of Judah. – 2 Chronicles 13:14-15

This is what the Lord says, “Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. Tomorrow, march out against them…But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and WATCH THE LORD’S VICTORY. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” – 2 Chron. 20:15b-17

But the Israelite army looked like two little flocks of goats in comparison to the vast Aramean forces that filled the countryside! Then the man of God went to the king of Israel and said, “This is what the Lord says: The Arameans have said, ‘The Lord is a god of the hills and not of the plains.’ SO I WILL DEFEAT THIS ARMY FOR YOU. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

The two armies camped opposite each other for seven days, and on the seventh day the battle began. The Israelites killed 100,000 Aramean foot soldiers in one day. The rest fled into the town of Aphek, but the wall fell on them and killed another 27,000. – 1 Kings 20:27b-30a

THE LORD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU!

Some time later, however, King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army and besieged Samaria. As a result, there was a great famine in the city…

So at twilight they set out for the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the edge of the camp, no one was there! FOR THE LORD HAD CAUSED the Aramean army to hear the clatter of speeding chariots and the galloping of horses and the sounds of a great army approaching. “The king of Israel has hired the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!” they cried to one another. So they panicked and ran into the night, abandoning their tents, horses, donkeys and everything else, as they fled for their lives… – 2 Kings 6:24-25a; 7:3-7

In the 39th year of his reign, Asa developed a serious foot disease. Yet even with the severity of his disease, he did not seek the Lord’s help but turned only to his physicians. So he died in the 41st year of his reign. – 2 Chron. 16:12-13

SEEK THE LORD’S HELP

You may face a giant battle ahead of you, but the Lord says, “Do not be afraid! Stand still and watch the Lord’s victory.”

You may feel outnumbered, but the Lord says, “I will defeat this army for you. Then you will know that I am the Lord.”

You may have lost all hope but the Lord can cause the enemy to panic and run – The Lord can provide for your needs.

You may be fighting a battle against disease or sickness – do not rely ONLY on physicians but seek the Lord’s help as well.

And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescues his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord’s battle, and he will give you to us! – 1 Samuel 17:47

The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. – Proverbs 21:31

POSITION YOURSELF, SIT BACK AND WATCH THE VICTORY!

How the king rejoices in your strength, O Lord!
He shouts with joy because you give him victory.
For you have given him his heart’s desire; you have withheld nothing he requested.

You welcomed him back with success and prosperity.
You placed a crown of finest gold on his head.
He asked you to preserve his life, and you granted his request.
The days of his life stretch on forever.
Your victory brings him great honor, and you have clothed him with splendor and majesty.
You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence.
For the king trusts in the Lord.
The unfailing love of the Most High will keep him from stumbling. – Psalm 21:1-7