Greeting to you in the Name above all other names…the powerful, life-changing, and beautiful name of Jesus Christ – THE Risen Savior! This morning I can hear the song…”Brrr! bay it is cold outside!” — but it is also sunny and bright…and it is the day that the Lord has made for and to enjoy and find purpose in and to rejoice in and to be glad in! So, let’s do it! Today I will be praying for you, asking Father to reveal His presence to you in ways that you will recognize and understand…in way the leads to a response.
I have been challenged by a portion of Scripture that I find gives me comfort in these days of discovering the “new normal” of 2022. What I find so challenging is that I often read only the verse or verses I am focusing on and not reading the surrounding verses. I am reminded of a teaching from Bible college…”a text without the context becomes a pretext and lacks credibility.” In Isaiah 55 in read – For my thoughts about mercy are not like your thoughts and my ways are different from yours. As high as the heavens are above the earth, so my ways and my thoughts are higher than yours. – Isaiah 55:8-9 TPT.
Most of the time I am content to leave it there and move on, but for “some reason” I saw these words – So also will be the word that I speak; it does not return to me unfulfilled. My word performs my purpose and fulfills the mission I sent it out to accomplish. Isaiah 55:11 TPT. Not only are His ways and thoughts different than ours but so are His words spoken out. They are powerful and creative and constructive and purpose-filled.
I was reminded this morning of some advice given to a young man, Billy Sunday, as he was embarking on a career in ministry – spend fifteen minutes at the beginning of your day listening to what God says…fifteen minutes talking to God…fifteen minutes talking to others about God. Then I read the results of a poll done of evangelical Christians that discovered that 66% are looking at Facebook, 39% are looking at YouTube, and 32% are looking at the Bible. This is part of our “new normal” and I think it has a profound effect on the evangelical church. We have lost touch with the God of Isaiah 55:8-11.
So let me ask us the questions – what did God say to you and I this morning…what have we said to God…who are we going to talk about God with?
Something to ponder…be blessed!