99th Week, Isaiah Chapters 20-24

 

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Monday, Isaiah Chapter 20

Isaiah 20
Verse 2

Kristen Strayer
 
Verse 2:  At that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah, son of Amos. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.
 
THOUGHT
In this chapter God asked Isaiah to go for three years without wearing clothes or shoes, and Isaiah did it!  God’s purpose in this was to symbolize through Isaiah’s humiliation, the humiliation Egypt and Cush were going to experience. Isaiah was willing to bare his physical body for three years for God! What a bold and unashamed man!
 
This makes me think of all the times when I was prompted by God to bare my soul to another person through conversation, but didn’t. God was only asking me to speak up, yet I was unable to do that. Yet, Isaiah managed to live completely naked for three years. I am inspired by Isaiah’s obedience and courage in this chapter to be willing to share more of myself with others for God’s glory!
 
PRAYER
God, please help us to have the boldness and obedience that Isaiah had.  He managed to trust You through some pretty strange circumstances.  Help us to do the same, even if it doesn’t make sense to us.  We Love You!!  AMEN

Tuesday, Isaiah Chapter 21

Isaiah 21

Verse 9

Kristen Strayer

Verse 9:  Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!” 

THOUGHT

Babylon was a pagan nation whose people worshiped idols. This verse speaks of the destruction of the idols and reminds us that our God is a jealous God. He wants all of our heart, mind, and soul. 

I think this objective is even harder to attain in our culture when wealth and entertainment are so prevalent, because there are so many things competing for our attention. I wonder what things in our lives God desires to destroy and remove. The wonderful part is that God not only wants all of us for His own glory, but He also has our best interest in mind. He knows what is best for us!

PRAYER

Lord, thank You for the times when You have removed harmful things from our lives and shown us what You desire for us. Help us to cast out all the idols from our lives. We want You to be number one!  AMEN

Wednesday, Isaiah Chapter 22

Isaiah 22

Verses 9-11

Kristin Strayer

Verses 9-11:  You saw that the City of David had many breaches in its defenses; you stored up water in the Lower Pool. You counted the buildings in Jerusalem and tore down houses to strengthen the wail. You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago. 

THOUGHT

Matt and I are in a Bible study right now that is an overview of the Old Testament, and we have just learned about this Lower Pool/Old Pool. We thought we would share what we have learned with you.

When Hezekiah was king of Judah, Jerusalem was attacked by Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Before the attack, Hezekiah knew that the city was going to be besieged. The one problem the city faced was that their water source was outside of the city walls. So as a precaution, Hezekiah had a tunnel dug

from the spring outside the city to a pool within the city wails. The tunnel was 1/3 of a mile long, and to build it they had to dig through solid rock! Two teams worked on the digging, with one starting on each end of the tunnel, and miraculously they met in the middle! This tunnel supplied the city with water without giving the enemy a way to enter the city, and it saved Jerusalem!

The verses above talk of how the people of Jerusalem forgot that it was God who delivered them during that time. May we not forget all that God has done for us!

PRAYER

Lord, we thank You for the Old Testament and for the interesting stories that it contains. Please help us to gain a deeper understanding of it as we study together. Thank You for King Hezekiah and his faithfulness to You and his willingness to trust You whole-heartedly. Please help us to remember all the

times You have protected us and provided for us! AMEN

Thursday, Isaiah Chapter 23

Isaiah 23

Verse 9

Mindy Strayer

Verse 9:  The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring low the pride of all glory and to humble all who are renowned on the earth.

THOUGHT

In chapter 23 Isaiah prophesies about the downfall of the prideful and evil city of Tyre. This city was very profitable and popular in the world. It had lots of business connections and allies with other cities. But it sounds like the people of Tyre did not show God any gratitude or thanksgiving. They did not praise Him for His many blessings. They must have thought that all their accomplishments, the wealth and success, had been done by themselves. 

Well, guess what? God hates pride. He will destroy that which feeds our pride. Whether it be money, new house, nice car, fancy clothes, high—paying prestigious job, physical abilities, accomplishments, whatever it is, if it leads to us getting glory and honor, instead of giving it to God, He will destroy it. God loves a humble heart. He does not like for us to boast, because it can lead to us feeling like we are better or more important than another person. 

God loves us all equally, and it takes away from our feeling dependent on God. After all, it is by grace we are saved, through faith, and not of ourselves. It is God’s gift for everyone, and not because of our own works so that no one would boast. He wants us dependent on Him. Accomplishments on earth mean nothing to God if our hearts do not live and work for Him. He is not looking for us to be popular and loved by the world. He is looking, in fact searching our hearts and our souls, to see that they are one with His and that we love Him with everything that is in us.

PRAYER

Lord God, search our hearts and take away any spirit of pride that might be hidden in us. When we get down because it appears that the world is ahead in this race of life, help us to remember that our reward will come from heaven one day. That the race is won by those who persevere through a life lived out according to Your will. We find comfort in knowing that You have a master plan. One day all pride will be gone, and You will be glorified by all. AMEN

Friday, Words of HOPE

Devotion from New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp

Psalm 20

Hope is more than wishing things will work out.  It is resting in the God who holds all things in his wise and powerful hands.  

We use the word HOPE in a variety of ways.  Sometimes it connotes a wish about something over which we have no control at all.  We say, "I sure hope the train comes soon." or, "I hope it doesn't rain on the day of the picnic."  These are wishes for things, but we wouldn't bank on them.  The word HOPE also depicts what we think should happen.  We say, "I hope he will choose to be honest this time." or, "I hope the judge brings down a guilty verdict."  Here hope reveals un internal sense of morality or justice.  We also use HOPE in a motivational sense.  We say, "I did this in the hope that it would pay off in the end." or, "I got married in the hope that he would treat me in marriage the way he treated me in courtship."  All of this is to say that because the word HOPE is used in a variety of ways, it is important for us to understand how this word is used in Scripture or in its gospel sense.  

Biblical HOPE is foundationally more than a faint wish for something.  Biblical HOPE is deeper than moral expectations, although it includes that.  Biblical HOPE is more than a motivation for a choice or action, although it is that as well.  So, what is Biblical HOPE?  It is a confident expectation of a guaranteed result that changes the way you live.  Let's pull this definition apart.  

First, Biblical HOPE is Confident.  It is confident because it is not based on your wisdom, faithfulness, or power, but on the awesome power, love, faithfulness, grace, patience, and wisdom of God.  Because God is who he is and will never, ever change, HOPE in him is HOPE well placed and secure.  

HOPE is also an Expectation of a Guaranteed Result.  It is being sure that God will do all that He has planned and promised to do.  You see, His promises are only as good as the extent of His rule, but since He rules everything everywhere, I know that resting in the promises of His grace will never leave me empty and embarrassed.  I may not understand what is happening and I may not know what is coming around the corner, but I know that God does and that He controls it all.  So even when I am confused, I can have HOPE, because my HOPE does not rest on my understanding, but on God' goodness and His rule.  

Finally, true HOPE Changes the Way You Live.  When you have hope that is guaranteed, you live with confidence and courage that you would otherwise not have.  That confidence and courage cause you to make choices of faith that would seem foolish to someone who does not have your HOPE.  If you're God's child, you never have to live hopelessly, because HOPE has invaded your life by grace, and His name is JESUS!!