The Promise of good things to come

ISAIAH  CHAPTER 66

Isaiah ends his chapter by telling the people that Heaven is the Lord's throne and the earth is his footstool. His hands made both heaven and earth and both belong to the Lord. He will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts and who tremble at his word. But those who choose their own ways and sins, are cursed. He will send great troubles against them. For when God called, they did not listen. And he will take vengeance against his enemies.

Before the birth pains even begin, Jerusalem gives birth to a son and the baby will be born and the nation will come forth. God would never bring the nation to the point of birth and not deliver it. So he asks that all of Jerusalem rejoice an drink deeply in her glory and prosperity. He will comfort them as a child is comforted by its mother. And when the people see these thing, they will rejoice. The Lord will come with fire and his swift chariots of destruction will roar like a whirlwind to punish his enemies.

Those who purify themselves in a sacred garden or eating pork and other forbidden things, will come to a terrible end. He will gather all nations together to see his glory and he will perform a sign among them. And they will send out messengers to all lands to declare the Lord's glory and bring back people of all nations to come to the holy mountain in Jerusalem and bring offerings. then the Lord would appoint some of those who return as his priests and Levites.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY? Isaiah brings his book to a close with great drama. The message is clear even to us today: apply God to your everyday life or face the wrath of the Lord. Kind of  a tough message to a society that preaches to us that we need to be proud and self sufficient to survive in our world. We have grown to admire the self sufficient and equate it to being a success. However, we must be very careful to draw a line between relying on our own selves and relying on our faith in God.  We must keep reminding ourselves of the message of hope God give us. Nothing really comes from our own power. The only power we have comes from God. He can choose to guide us along the path. We can feel the pressure of his hand giving us a nudge. But don't ever forget who holds the ultimate power!

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 a form of 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.


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.