The Lord protects those who believe

ISAIAH     CHAPTER 44

God wants the people to listen to Jacob, his servant and Israel, his chosen one. The lord made you and he does not want you to fear. For he will give abundant water for their thirst and for their parched fields. He will pour out blessings on their children and they will thrive like watered grass.

I am the First and the Last, says the Lord. Who else can tell you what will happen in the future. There is no other Rock - not one!

How foolish are those who manufacture idols to be their gods. Idols are worthless. Only a fool would make his own god - an idol that cannot help him one bit. A blacksmith stands at his forge and makes a sharp tool and his work makes him hungry and thirsty and faint. Then the woodcarver measures and marks out a block of wood and carves a figure of a man. Now he has an idol that cannot even move from where it was placed. The the man cuts down cedars and uses part of the wood for a fire to warm himself. He burns part of the tree to roast his meat. Then he takes what's left and makes a god for the people to worship and he bows before it. He asks the wooden idol to rescue him.

They are ignorant, says the Lord. Their eyes are closed and their minds shut. To bow before a chunk of wood; the poor deluded fools feed on ashes. He trusts something that can give him no help. Yet he cannot bring himself to ask, "Is this thing, this idol I am holding in my hand, a lie? So our Lord asks Israel to pay attention and believe that the Lord made them and he will not forget to help them. Return to me, says the Lord, for I have paid the price to set you free. Sing to the Heavens, for the Lord has done this wondrous thing.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW:
The time would come when Israel would be proud of belonging to God. Isaiah, who prophesied from about 740 -681 B.C. called Cyrus by name almost 150 years before he ruled. Many historians claim that Cyrus read this prophecy and was so moved, he carried it out.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? God wants us to be proud to belong to him. Even in these times! We should be unashamed and delighted to let everyone now about our relationship with God.

We all have idols in these modern times. What are yours? A big house, a big car? Money? Are you driven by success?  Fame? Power? God wants us to serve our Creator, not worship our idols. Do not be afraid to trust in the Lord. He will save you, no matter what.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:



HEALTH: 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.