Isaiah 52:7 & 10

How warm and safe do the words of Isaiah make us feel as believers in the power of Christ to save. We are His and He is ours and nothing can separate us from His love | not life | not death | NOTHING.  My heart yearns for the day that we will see meet Him face to face through the same power of the Holy Spirit who raised Him from the dead.

 We are forgiven and redeemed through the salvation that God provided for all of us who accept this precious gift.

The glorious message is salvation, meaning “victorious deliverance”. The message Your God reigns stands behind all history; the Lord controls every power on earth.

Isaiah 52:7 & 10

⁷ How beautiful upon the mountains

Are the feet of him who brings good news,

Who proclaims peace,

Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,

Who says to Zion,

“Your God reigns!”

¹⁰ The Lord has made bare His holy arm

In the eyes of all the nations;

And all the ends of the earth shall see

The salvation of our God.

¹The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord is clothed, He has girded Himself with strength. Surely the world is established, so that it cannot be moved. 

Psalm 93:1

¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

Ephesians 6:15

¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” 

Romans 10:15

⁶And  all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’ ” 

Luke 3:6

Romans 7:21-25

The only way to conquer sin is through the indwelling of the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, residing in us who guides us, precept by precept, into the way, the truth and the light.

Alone we cannot overcome our natural tendencies, our sinful nature, brought about by the falling of Adam. Only in the unity of the Spirit can we be indued with the fruit which comes from the Father through the salvation of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is brought to fruition by the power of the Holy Spirit of God within man. It is the only way to eternal life with the Godhead.

The sinful nature seeks to draw us away from following God’s work in us. Defeat occurs whenever the believer fails to live in the power supplied by the Spirit.

Paul concludes that the problem is not the law; the problem is the flesh. From this argument, Paul moves into the solution, salvation found in Jesus Christ.

 Romans 7:21-25

²¹ I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. ²² For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. ²³ But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ²⁵ I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. 

2 Corinthians 4:16

¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 

Ephesians 3:16

⁴ rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. 

1 Peter 3:4

⁶ who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 

2 Corinthians 3:6

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 

Galatians 5:22–25

Mark 6:7-9

If God calls you to do something He will provide everything and everyone you need to carry it through.

Mark’s Gospel is unique. It is not a biography of Jesus, like Matthew or Luke, for it does not dwell on Jesus’ family history or career. Instead, this Gospel is a record of Jesus’ actions and achievements. 

Mark’s Gospel presents Jesus as a Savior-King, who conquers demons, disease, and death.

Mark 6:7-9

⁷ And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. ⁸ He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts—⁹ but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

10 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 

Matthew 10:1

¹³ And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 

Mark 3:13

⁹Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 

Ecclesiastes 4:9

¹⁵ and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

Ephesians 6:15

John 8:21-24

Just believe  in Him who has given His body up for yours so that you can abide in Him by the power of the Holy Spirit who resides in you. 

We shall live for all eternity with the  Triune Godhead  through the salvation of  Jesus Christ  on the cross. 

The Gospel of John is the only book in the Bible that states its purpose clearly and succinctly: It was written to tell individuals how to find eternal life. 

It is not so much a life of  Jesus  as it is a powerful presentation of His deity. According to John, believing that Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, is the beginning of eternal life.

Jesus was claiming to be God. 

This assertion was not understood by the religious leaders at this time. Later, Jesus’ claim to be the “I AM” prompted the Jewish leaders to seek His life.

John 8:21-24

²¹ Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”

²² So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?” ²³ And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. ²⁴ Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”

¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 

Mark 16:16

⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” 

John 8:58

1 Timothy 4:9-11

And the birth of Jesus Christ, all God and all man, came with shouts of peace and joy to the people on earth!

For God loved the world that He created so much that He gave up the life of His only begotten Son to save them. 

To God be all the glory!

Savior of all men describes God as the One who gives life, breath, and existence to all.

Have a Blessed Christmas time!

1 Timothy 4:9-11

⁹ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. ¹⁰ For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. ¹¹ These things command and teach.

⁶Your righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, You preserve man and beast. 

Psalm 36:6

Philippians 4:4-7

Be gentle. Be kind. Love everyone. Be at Peace.

God is in control. Trust Him!! Joy in our salvation is our constant strength and hope to all people who will choose to accept His gift this Holy Season.

Philippians 4:4-7

⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

⁵ Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 

Colossians 3:15

¹² rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 

Romans 12:12

³⁷“For yet a little while, And He ³who is coming will come and will not tarry. 

Hebrews 10:37

⁷ casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. 

1 Peter 5:7

²⁷ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 

John 14:27

Jeremiah 40:11-12

Bloom where God plants you. 

Be firm knowing that if He leads you to it He will bring you through it safely. Always keep in mind that Faith without the resulting good works done out of your gratitude and love for the gift of  salvation in Jesus Christ is a dead faith.

The place where you grow in maturity and are fed will produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit in your life. These characteristics of Jesus are to be used for those you come into contact with daily. 

Surely His goodness and mercy will follow you all the days of  your life.

 Long acknowledged as one of the great prophets of the Old Testament, Jeremiah serves to this day as an example of someone who remained faithful to the word of God despite countless hardships.

The Jews who had escaped the Babylonian onslaught into neighboring states returned home and began working the fields, vineyards, and orchards.

Jeremiah 40:11-12

¹¹ Likewise, when all the Jews who were in Moab, among the Ammonites, in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, and that he had set over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, ¹² then all the Jews returned out of all places where they had been driven, and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruit in abundance.

⁵ But Johanan the son of Kareah and all the captains of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to dwell in the land of Judah, from all nations where they had been driven—

Jeremiah 43:5

Zechariah 1:16-17

And  Jesus  came with shouts of peace, peace and goodwill to the people on earth!

 Jesus is the line drawn that will divide those who will live eternally with Father, Son and Holy Spirit. By His birth, death and resurrection we are given an abundant life. 

Christ within man is the hope of glory. 

Have a blessed HOLY Season!

Encouragement and hope are the underlying themes of the prophecies of Zechariah. The prophet Zechariah was one of the three prophets, along with Haggai and Malachi, who ministered to the exiles returning to Jerusalem. These exiles faced the ruins of what had once been a splendid city and a glorious temple. There was much to be sad about, but Zechariah encouraged the exiles with visions of judgment on Israel’s enemies and of the complete restoration of the city of Jerusalem. 

Yet the most thrilling vision of all was the prediction of a coming King—the Messiah who would bring eternal salvation and the promised eternal kingdom.

Zechariah 1:16-17

¹⁶ ‘Therefore thus says the Lord:

“I am returning to Jerusalem with mercy;

My house shall be built in it,” says the Lord of hosts,

“And a surveyor’s line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem.” ’

¹⁷ “Again proclaim, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“My cities shall again spread out through prosperity;

The Lord will again comfort Zion,

And will again choose Jerusalem.” ’ ”

⁸With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer. 

Isaiah 54:8

14 For the Lord will have mercy on Jacob, and will still choose Israel, and settle them in their own land. The strangers will be joined with them, and they will cling to the house of Jacob. 

Isaiah 14:1

¹⁰ “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. 

Zechariah 2:10

Mark 6:32-34

Jesus the Christ, all God and all man, knew what it was like to be tired, hungry and concerned about the future. 

Because He was all man He had empathy for His creation and was moved by compassion for them. He taught them about the true meaning of this life and the joy that they would have for eternity if they only trusted in the sacrifice that He was willing to make for them. He cared for the whole man and healed them mentally, physically and spiritually when they believed.

The Gospels record several times that when Jesus saw a need He was moved with compassion.

 His compassion led to action.

Mark 6:32-34

³² So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

³³ But the multitudes saw them departing, and many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before them and came together to Him. ³⁴ And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many things.

⁵ Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 

John 6:5

¹⁴ And when Jesus went out He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and healed their sick. 

Matthew 14:14

² He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. 

Hebrews 5:2

¹⁷Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. 

Isaiah 48:17

¹¹ But when the multitudes knew it, they followed Him; and He received them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who had need of healing. 

Luke 9:11

2 Kings 8:1-6

When we give our life to God and follow His direction for our life, He changes things making all things new! 

Whatever you have allowed Satan to steal from you will be restored fully…just believe in His power to take the things that were meant to destroy you and turn them for your good. 

No weapon formed against you will prosper. In Him, and in the salvation that He provided in Jesus the Christ, we are restored and protected by our King.

As had happened in the days of Elijah, God again instituted a famine. Such cases of divinely induced calamities were intended to chastise His people and bring them to repentance. God in His kindness spared the family of the Shunammite woman to whom Elisha had had such a significant ministry. It appears that she may have become a widow by the time of this incident. 

The Shunammite woman had not renounced or sold her property, but merely had left during the previous famine. Moreover, she had returned within seven years. Since the property was still legally hers, she pressed her claim to the king himself.

2 Kings 8:1-6

8 Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the Lord has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.” ² So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years.

³ It came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land. ⁴ Then the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me, please, all the great things Elisha has done.” ⁵ Now it happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored the dead to life, that there was the woman whose son he had restored to life, appealing to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” ⁶ And when the king asked the woman, she told him.

So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now.”

Luke 9:23-26

Everything, every little thing, that we do each and every day reflects our Christianity to ourself and to others. 

It is up to us to keep our natural feelings confined within the boundaries set by Jesus. If we love Him and others as much as the Father did in sending Him to die for all of us we will fulfill the law and His new commandment to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

The saved life that we have been given is His to use for God’s glory.

It makes no sense to attempt to save our lives on earth only to lose everything when our lives quickly and inevitably pass away. The wise course is to invest our earthly resources—our time, talents, and wealth—in what is eternal. Even if we lose our lives for Jesus’ sake, that investment will produce returns for all eternity.

Luke 9:23-26

²³ Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. ²⁴ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. ²⁵ For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? ²⁶ For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.

³⁸ And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 

Matthew 10:38

³⁴ When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 

Mark 8:34

²⁷ And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple. 

Luke 14:27

¹⁶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

Romans 1:16

¹²If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. 

2 Timothy 2:12

Isaiah 12:1-6

In all the expectations of this  Holy Season that is upon us let us remember always that it is the great and overpowering love of God that sent His only begotten Son into a cold and distant land to live and die for us…for you and for me! 

Jesus provided the bridge from death to life; from sorrow to hope; from sadness to joy. God gave up everything for that moment in time where Jesus was tortured beyond our comprehension and then died to His physical body and in so doing conquered death once and for ALL who would choose to accept this priceless gift of life eternal in Him. 

Our faith in God is our shield against the distractions and evils of this world!

This is a hymn of praise for God’s salvation by the restored remnant after the second Exodus.

Isaiah 12:1-6

12 And in that day you will say:

“O Lord, I will praise You;

Though You were angry with me,

Your anger is turned away, and You comfort me.

² Behold, God is my salvation,

I will trust and not be afraid;

‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song;

He also has become my salvation.’ ”

³ Therefore with joy you will draw water

From the wells of salvation.

⁴ And in that day you will say:

“Praise the Lord, call upon His name;

Declare His deeds among the peoples,

Make mention that His name is exalted.

⁵ Sing to the Lord,

For He has done excellent things;

This is known in all the earth.

⁶ Cry out and shout, O inhabitant of Zion,

For great is the Holy One of Israel in your midst!”

¹⁸That they may know that You, whose name alone is the Lord, Are the Most High over all the earth. 

Psalm 83:18

²The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him. 

Exodus 15:2

¹⁴The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation. 

Psalm 118:14

¹⁰ Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.” 

John 4:10

⁸Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! 

1 Chronicles 16:8

³Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. 

Psalm 34:3

¹⁸For our shield belongs to the Lord, And our king to the Holy One of Israel. 

Psalm 89:18

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

The church at Corinth was a seriously troubled church.  Paul diagnosed the problem: pride and a lack of true love in the church.

A new command Jesus gave us….to love God above all and every person as much as we do ourself having empathy and compassion for them and showing His great and abiding love for all His creation that as many as possible will be saved.

Rest in His mercy and grace remaining humble as you walk with the Holy Spirit knowing that it has nothing to do with your goodness or any other created person but everything to do with Jesus the Christ and His birth, death and resurrection. To God be all the glory!

Paul does not praise the Corinthians for their good works as he does some other churches; instead, he praises God who works in them. 

When we focus on people’s faults, hope soon wanes and discouragement follows. But when we concentrate on the Lord, even the darkest hours can be filled with praise.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

⁴ I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, ⁵ that you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, ⁶ even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, ⁷ so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹⁰ when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. 

2 Thessalonians 1:10

⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, 

1 Timothy 2:6

²⁰ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 

Philippians 3:20

¹³ looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 

Titus 2:13

⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; 

Philippians 1:6