Being witnesses for the Lord

ISAIAH   CHAPTER 43

Isaiah tells the people of Israel that the Lord created them and asks that they not be afraid, for he will be with them always even in difficult times. He is the Lord and Holy One of Israel and the Savior. He gave Israel -Egypt, Ethiopia and Seba (part of Arabia) as a ransom for his people's freedom because they were precious to him. So he asks that they not be afraid and he will bring back all the sons and daughters back to Israel. He tells them to bring out the blind who have ears but are deaf and gather nations together. None of their idols could ever do such things.

As Lord and Redeemer, God promises to send an invading army against Babylon and the people there will be forced to flee in ships. Then the Lord reminded them of the time he made a dry path through the waters and called the mighty army of Egypt with its chariots into it and drowned them beneath the waves.

God asks the people not to refuse his help. They had grown tired of him, had not brought lambs for offering to him or honored him with sacrifices. Nor brought incense or pleased the Lord with fat from sacrifices but instead burdened him with their sins and wearied him with their faults. Their ancestors sinned against God and leaders broke his laws, so he disgraced their priests and assigned  Israel a future of complete destruction and shame. Yet he alone can blot out their sins, so he is giving them another chance to present their case.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: God gave other nations to Persia in exchange for returning the Jews to their homeland. Israel's task now was to bear witness and tell the world who God was and what he had done.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Imagine if we were asked to bring the best of our sins to God's altar. What do you present to God in order to plead for his forgiveness? In this world today, we are the believers. We are the believers who must have the responsibility of being God's witnesses. People around us will know what God is like by the words and example we set. Nobody can see God. But they can see him reflected in you!

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: Update on Logan: She gave birth to a healthy, baby boy. Thank you God!


Pray for Gabe.


Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.


Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer and for her sister Wanda’s soul which went to heaven.


Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with MS.


Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.


Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.


Pray for Judy’s husband who was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. Pray for her too, that she can deal with the side effects of his illness.


Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who is undergoing chemo for his prostate cancer. Update on Robert: he has one more treatment and then three months of waiting for his psat test to come back clean.


Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.


Pray for another friend named Carolyn whose faith remains strong, but is lost and confused about where and how to spend her elder years.


SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary


RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John


LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian


SUPPORT: Haiti, Chile, survivors of Japan’s earthquake, survivors of the devastating tornadoes in our southernmost states and Joplin, Missouri. Pray too, for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom.