TREMBLE.  Isaiah 66:2.

I remember the fear I felt one night when I was a little boy. We were in a fourth-floor apartment in New York City visiting my aunt and uncle.  My brother and I had gone to bed and the lights were off.  Suddenly I looked at the window and saw a man on the fire escape. He was leaning against the glass with his hands cupped around his eyes like a SCUBA mask, peering into the darkness at my brother and me. I shot out of bed and ran for help. I did not panic, but I tell you what–I certainly would not be able to sleep any time soon.

The adults were not terrified. But they felt an appropriate level of caution, (My dad aimed his flashlight at the man for an hour, watching his every move!) The man stood out there on the fire escape in cutoff shorts and shirtless, going from one floor to another. He smoked a few cigarettes and did nothing. But his behavior raised concerns and we felt a healthy respect for the presence of danger. (They called the police and an officer dropped by–THE NEXT DAY!)

Do you tremble with respect when you are in the presence of God’s word?

“I will look favorably on this kind of person, one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at My word” Isaiah 66:2.

To tremble at God’s word means to respect it, to hold it in such high esteem that you would not dare to misinterpret it, preach it incorrectly, or simply neglect it. 

Do you tremble at the risk of mishandling God’s word? One well-known preacher says some things in the Bible are inspirational, but “not necessarily true.” Another says he needs to take breaks from reading his Bible.  There are those who preach entire sermons without discussing scripture. How is that possible?

I have trafficked in words my entire life. When I taught high school literature classes, I could not get through a day without sharing great quotes and talking about the amazing use of language—whether from Chaucer, Shakespeare, or Mark Twain. But to speak in a church and NOT talk about the greatest book ever written? How is that possible? To preach on anything else indicates you do not “tremble at God’s word.” You do not fear the word or respect the word–you certainly do not find your life animated by an undeniable PASSION for God’s word.

Life on earth is filled with amazing places, people, and experiences. But there is no single resource more valuable than God’s word. If you do not love it and tremble with a deep respect—a passionate desire to understand it and speak about it truthfully—you need to beg God to fill you with a love for His word. Nothing matters more than that.

“I will look favorably on this kind of person, one who is humble, submissive in spirit, and trembles at My word” Isaiah 66:2.

Dear God, help us love Your word more every day! May our lives be ANIMATED BY AN UNDENIABLE PASSION FOR THE WORD, A HUNGER THAT CAN NEVER BE QUENCHED!

ΑΩ

WHY DOES GOD LET US SUFFER? Isaiah 63:9.

Why DOES God let us suffer? Why doesn’t He spare us? Why must we grieve and feel lonely and hurt and disappointed? Why do we have physical pain? Why do we go through death, whether it is quick and horrifying, or a decades-long odyssey through ever-worsening illnesses?

I believe God DOES spare us many pains. He loves you and hates to see you suffer. But He allows a little suffering so it will refine us, making us more like Him. Suffering takes our eyes off ourselves, gives us compassion for others, and makes our hearts long for our REAL home—our heavenly home. Suffering makes us more like Christ.

And though He does not remove ALL suffering, I believe He JOINS US in our suffering. Isaiah writes that “in all our suffering, He suffers.” He suffers with you. He hurts with you! Whatever you go through, Jesus has been through worse.

“IN ALL THEIR SUFFERING, HE SUFFERED.” Isaiah 63:9

You may remember me describing a picture I once painted. My idea was to paint a crucifixion painting, but with a unique point of view: the viewer is on a cross, looking down his own bloody arm at Jesus on the cross next to him. Because we all suffer like those thieves (though in many different ways). Jesus does not take us down off the cross—instead He JOINS US in our greatest suffering. He is right there with you, and He looks over at you and beckons you: “TODAY, YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE.” Soon, you will join Me in my Glory!

Imagine that! The God Who Created and Saved us joins us in our horror and shame and agony—and promises that we will join Him in His Joy and Honor and Glory. What an amazing privilege! I can’t even believe that.

Dear God, remind us that You are always with us, no matter what! We never suffer all alone, but You are there hurting with us. Thank you for your compassion. Make us more like You every day.

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Are You Pestering God? Isaiah 62:7.

Have you ever heard someone talk about wasting God’s time?  Or maybe you’ve heard them say, “I’m not going to pray about that—I don’t want to bother God.”  You wouldn’t want to pester God, right? 

Wrong. God is NEVER bothered by our prayers. He has an infinite mind—and infinite time. Thus, His attention for you has NO LIMITS. You will never waste His time. He will never consider your prayers a bother. In fact, He encourages us to “pester” Him with prayer:

“Tirelessly PESTER God—give Him no rest—until He blesses Jerusalem….” Isaiah 62:7. Other translations say, ‘Give no silence to Him,’ and “Do not give Him rest.”  And remember—this is God speaking. This is God Himself teaching us how He WANTS us to pray. Pray until it BOTHERS GOD. Go ahead and PESTER HIM. Jesus underlined this idea when He told “the Parable of The Unjust Judge” (also called “the Parable of the Persistent Widow”):

“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about man. And a widow in that town kept coming to him, pleading ‘Grant me justice against my opponent.’  For a while the judge was unwilling. But finally the judge said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what men think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, lest by continuously coming she wear me out!’  And Jesus said, ‘Listen to the unrighteous judge. Will not God bring about justice for His chosen ones who cry out to Him day and night?  I tell you, He will see that they get justice quickly!” Luke 18:2-8.

We don’t pray enough. We just don’t.

God, remind us to pray more, to pray with PERSISTENCE. To pray until we wear You out!

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ENJOY THE MYSTERY. Mark 3:21, 31-35; Isaiah 55:8-9.

God does things HIS way. Stop expecting everything to make sense.

“For My ways are not your ways … My ways are HIGHER than your ways” Isaiah 55:8-9.

You’ve seen Christians who think if you lost that job, you must be out of God’s will, or if your marriage is on the rocks, one of you is not following God. Or if you have financial problems, you stopped obeying God and you must retrace your steps and discover where you got off-track.

The un-Biblical logic goes: IF YOU HAVE PROBLEMS, QUESTION EVERYTHING.

Christians are notorious second-guessers.

Sadly, while all of us are good at passing judgment, few truly know the voice of God. Most have never spent enough time in the word and in prayer to know His voice.

“Then His family went to take Jesus home, for they were saying, ‘He is out of His mind.’ … A crowd was sitting near Him and told Him, ‘Sir, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside asking for You.’ “ Mark 3:21, 31-35.

Who doubted the work of Jesus?  None other than Mary, the virgin who gave birth to the Son of God. She did not like the crowds, the threats, the danger. She got so agitated, she gathered her sons and daughters and went to fetch Jesus and take Him home. Though she kicked off her Son’s ministry at the wedding at Cana—now she decides things have gotten out of hand.

How could Mary doubt Jesus?  MARY? 

We risk the same error when God does things—according to His mysterious ways—and we assume there is a problem because things are not going according to OUR plans.

But if you have heard from God, HANG ONTO THAT!  Trust Him. Expect the unexpected—and don’t assume that if you can’t understand things, then someone is out of God’s will. Enjoy the mystery.

Remember—

DON’T DOUBT IN THE DARKNESS WHAT GOD TOLD YOU IN THE LIGHT.

ΑΩ

Drought. Isaiah 55:10-11.

Remember the drought of 2011?  Remember the fires all over Texas?  Even at our house?  Remember the way fields turned brown, grass died, fertile soil turned to dusty sand?  Rain is not convenient, but it is so important. We realize it as soon as things turn brown. And the earth has PLENTY of water. The oceans are loaded with it. All we need is some evaporation, for the clouds to blow our way and drop some rain. Most of it will end up in the rivers and back in the sea in no time. But only after it cleans and nourishes the land.

GOD’S WORD IS LIKE RAIN.

“Just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making it germinate and sprout, providing seed to sow and food to eat, so MY WORD will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I send it to do” Isaiah 55:10-11.

God’s Word nourishes. God’s word brings life and healing and freshness and restoration and cleansing. In fact, God PROMISES that His word will not return void (empty), but will always achieve His purpose. In other words, when you hear God’s word preached, it will always touch you and teach you and bless you. When you read it—same thing: God’s word will never fail to bless you. And when you share His word with others (even when you paraphrase it with your own words) God’s message will ALWAYS bless their lives and accomplish God’s purpose.

To put it another way—God will ALWAYS bless the time you spend reading, studying, and sharing God’s word. No other activity comes with such a promise!  And just like rain, God’s word may not always be convenient. Maybe you don’t have time for it—or would rather not make time for it. But as the earth desperately NEEDS rain, your heart desperately NEEDS God’s word.

God, help us to read and study Your word EVERY DAY!  Thank you that it will never return void.

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OPPORTUNITY COMES DISGUISED AS ADVERSITY. Isaiah 55:9.

Paul kept being arrested. Why? Because it gave Paul an opportunity to preach to world leaders.

In Philippi, Paul led the jailer and his family to Christ. When Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem, everyone told him he would be arrested. He went anyway. When a crowd gathered, Paul preached to the crowd, and some were saved. Paul would have been thrilled to speak because he knew God would use him to plant seeds, water seeds, or bring in the harvest (1 Corinthians 3:6). God’s Word would not return empty (Isaiah 55:11).

When Paul was arrested, he spoke to the Sanhedrin. Next Paul was sent to Felix the governor. He preached to him many times over the next TWO YEARS. Then Festus became governor and Paul preached to him. Then King Agrippa and his wife arrived and Paul preached to them. Then Paul was sent to Rome, preached to the 276 people on board ship. Once in Rome, Paul preached to the Jews, preaching in a house for another two years. Finally, Paul was released.

God does not see things as we do.

“For my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts” Isaiah 55:9.

What we consider disaster, God may consider ministry opportunity. Sometimes the greatest opportunity comes disguised as the greatest adversity.

Is your life different from the lives of the lost?  Do you live a life that would make people ask what is different? Do you know how to answer (1 Peter 3:15)?  

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble” John 16:33. Adversity is guaranteed. Are you prepared? 

One key is looking at EVERY SITUATION as a chance to share your faith. Life is not about you—your goals, your pleasure, your comfort. Life is about bringing the message of hope, forgiveness, and salvation to a lost and dying world. Are you ready?

God remind us that we live for YOU. Teach us how to see adversity as an opportunity to share our faith.

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The WORD is Different from Other Words. Isaiah 55:10-11.

“Too old for Instagram, too young for Life Alert.”

“In God we trust—but wash your hands.”

“Life’s too short to live in Houston.”

People love these things. But not all the words some sign painter strings together are equal. One sign might be a joke from a redneck comedian, while another bears words from a different source, such as one my mom had hanging in the kitchen: “My grace is sufficient for you” 2 Corinthians 12:9.

Some are just silly and fun, or cute and nostalgic. But the words of scripture are different. Whether it’s painted in glitter or spelled out in noodles or stitched onto a throw pillow, God’s word “WILL NOT RETURN VOID [empty].” When God’s word reaches you, it will do what He sent it to do—whether it reaches you on a bumper sticker, a tee shirt, or a fortune cookie.

“For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth, and making it germinate and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My Word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I please.” Isaiah 55:10-11.

God’s Word will NOT RETURN EMPTY. It will ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING. Don’t dismiss “Hobby Lobby Art” if it contains scripture. Because it WILL always bring God the fruit He sent it for. Consider fishing:

EVERY time God casts His line, He catches a fish. EVERY. SINGLE. CAST. Because God’s word WILL NOT return void.

And that plaque over Mama’s kitchen table? I memorized it without even trying, and it became so special to me. It is a key scripture, and I think of it often: God’s grace is ALWAYS sufficient. His grace is enough.

Pray. God, help me to love your Word wherever I find it. Help me to read it, study it, memorize it, and LOVE it. Give me a HUNGER for Your word! And help me to submit myself and all my ideas to the authority of Your word.

ΑΩ

The Water Cycle. Isaiah 55:10-11.

Following college I spent one year working as a substitute teacher. I never turned down a job—I taught all grades, all levels, and all subjects in all the schools of Alief I.S.D.  One of the things that surprised me was how often I found myself talking about “the Water Cycle.” I had never heard that pithy phrase, although I understood the cycle: water covers the earth, bringing life wherever it goes.  Rain falls—cleansing the air of dust and pollen.  On the ground, rain nourishes farms and fields and flows into lakes and rivers, supporting entire ecosystems of fish and plant life.  The rivers grow deeper and wider as they flow to the sea, supporting larger and larger marine life, not to mention a worldwide shipping network.  When freshwater reaches the oceans the waters nourish the life that thrives in a briny mix of fresh and saltwater.  Then the water evaporates from the sea into clouds, blows across the country bringing rain and cooler temperatures, and the cycle repeats itself. 

God says His word is like the water cycle. It brings life wherever it goes. 

“For just as the rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return there without saturating the earth and making seeds germinate and sprout, and providing food to eat and seed to sow, so My word that comes from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I please and will prosper in what I sent it to do” Isaiah 55:10-11.

Many of us learned this verse as “My word will not return void,” but there are some other great translations.  The word will not return “empty-handed,” or “without results,” or “without doing what I have planned.” Instead, God’s word will always “achieve its purpose,” and “succeed in the matter for which I sent it.” God word will always get results.

This is true in your life: EVERY TIME you read the word, God will bless that time and His word will bless YOU.  Similarly, EVERY TIME you share the word with others, or teach the word, or listen to the word being taught, God’s word will make a difference.  Just as rain cannot fail to soak into the earth, so God’s word cannot fail to get into you and change you and bless you and make you better.  And when you talk about God’s word with others, it “will not return void,” but will do the same for them. 

God’s word ALWAYS makes a difference, ALWAYS blesses others, and will ALWAYS bless you.  The time you spend reading, studying, teaching, or talking about God’s word may be the most efficient, most productive time in your entire day.  Don’t miss it!

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MAN OF SORROWS (Jesus was not fearful but sorrowful). Matthew 26:38.

How do we know Jesus sweat blood (Luke 22:44)?  The disciples fell asleep. The only way Peter, James, and John could have known it (and reported it to Luke) was if they saw it later. When Jesus came to them, He must have been wiping the watery red sheen from His forehead. Between “falling facedown” to pray and all the wiping, His cloak was probably red with blood.

But what emotion was it that made Him sweat blood?  Fear? If I were going to be crucified, I would be nauseated with fear. I’ll never forget the day my dentist drilled into a nerve that was not responding to anesthesia. Over and over. she drilled and poked and I squirmed and complained. But nails? Pounded through wrists and ankles? Scary.

Mark 14:33 mentions “horror,” and Luke 22:44 mentions “anguish,” but Gospel accounts of the Garden speak mainly of SORROW. “Then He said to them, ‘My soul is swallowed up in SORROW’” Mark 14:34. “My soul is swallowed up in SORROW to the point of death” Matthew 26:38.

Wondering at this choice of words, I looked at over 60 English translations of Matthew 26:38 on biblegateway.com. Every translation uses the words ‘SORROW,’ ‘GRIEF,’ ‘sadness,’ ‘anguish,’ or the phrase “My soul is heavy.” 

Consider these translations:  “My soul is EXCEEDINGLY SORROWFUL,” “I AM NEARLY CRUSHED WITH GRIEF,” “My soul is deeply grieved, EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH,” “My heart is so heavy with grief, I FEEL AS IF I AM DYING,” “The sorrow in my heart crushes Me.”

Jesus was sweating blood over SORROW because He knew His heart would be carrying the burden of mankind’s sins. We know sin causes death, but what does death cause if not sorrow?  Thus, sin leads to sorrow. First, sorrow over mortal deaths, but then sorrow over the death of a relationship with the God Who loves you so infinitely, so passionately. Add to that the smaller deaths of hope, deaths of opportunities, deaths of better options and a blessed future. Sin steals, kills, and destroys, and the result is such great sorrow. Centuries of overwhelming sorrow and grief.

Bearing the sins of history means feeling the GRIEF of history. And facing a death on the cross, it was that black pit of anguish and grief that burdened Jesus with overwhelming sorrow. The prophecy in Isaiah 53:3 gives Jesus one of His names— “He was a MAN OF SORROWS, and acquainted with GRIEF.” 

Do you face grief, devastating losses you can’t comprehend?  Jesus understands SORROW. The Man of Sorrows knows your grief. Take it to Him. Let Him comfort you.

Man of Sorrows, thank You for understanding our deepest hurts—and bearing them with us.

ΑΩ

*Copyright to the picture of Bruce Marchiano as Jesus held by THE VISUAL BIBLE.

The Scarlet Thread. Psalm 65:3; Isaiah 53.

What did Abraham, Moses, and David put their faith in—sacrifices? The blood of sheep? Did they believe their good deeds got them into Heaven, or did they believe that God required faith? Does the Old Testament speak of Jesus?

Yes. The Old Testament looks forward to Jesus, just as the New Testament looks back. He is the center of it all. The blood of Christ is the “Scarlet Thread” that runs through all 66 books of the Bible, beginning in Genesis when God sacrificed an animal to cover the sin of Adam and Eve, a sign that one day Jesus would die to cover our sin.

One simple rendering of the Gospel is called the Four Spiritual Laws, and each of these truths is supported by the Old Testament:

  1. God loves you and created you to know Him. (Read about Adam and Eve in Genesis 2-4, not to mention all the other stories.)
  2. Man is sinful and separated from God, so we are unable to know Him. (“All we like sheep have gone astray, every one of us has turned to his own way. But the Lord God laid on HIM the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6. –Can you believe THAT is in the Old Testament?)
  3. The only way to know God is through the death of Jesus, which paid for our sins. (See Isaiah 53:6 above; see also Psalm 65:3 “Only YOU can atone for our rebellions.” –David KNEW that good deeds and sacrificial lambs would never be enough. Only GOD could atone for sin.)
  4. We must individually receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (Genesis 15:6 says “Abraham believed God would save him, thus he was credited with righteousness.”)

Thank you, Lord, for your sacrifice. Help me understand and explain the gospel to others. Thank you that our Old Testament heroes looked forward to the coming of Christ and put their faith in Him the same way we do. Thank you that salvation never changes because You never change. You are “the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

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