FEAR NOT
Suggested Reading: Isaiah 41-42
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Here you can see a rolling stone that crushes dates. It is located at Neot Kedumim, the Biblical Landscape Reserve in Israel, located between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. This place is a Biblical garden and nature reserve which attempts to re-create the physical setting of the Bible. The judgment of God, which nations bring upon themselves, is often likened in Scripture to the process of "threshing" or "winnowing" (Isaiah 41:15 & 16).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you;
Be not dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you,
Yes, I will help you,
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
God says “FEAR NOT” three times in Isaiah 41! Why not fear? Firstly, because God says, “I am with you”! (41:10). Secondly, because God says, “I will help you”! (41:13b). And thirdly, He says again, “I will help you”! God tries to get this message through to all people at all times throughout human history. God has a history of inspiring the recording of the fulfillment of the prophecies He has given through His Prophets and through the greatest of all Prophets, Jesus Christ. In 41:21-23 God challenges all the gods (so called) of the nations to prove the reality of their power by the test of prophecy and its fulfillment! The reality is stated in 41:24. He says to these gods, “You are nothing and your work is nothing.” Therefore, people of the true God, “Fear not”!!!
In Chapter 42 the “Servant” of the Lord is now clearly identified as a Person rather than a nation. The identity of this Person will become more and more evident as we continue our readings in Isaiah. Read the New Testament quotation of Isaiah 42:1-4 (see Matthew 12:17-21). Let’s read again Isaiah 42 with Jesus clearly in our minds, identifying those statements which Jesus fulfilled.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, as the writer to the Hebrews says in Hebrews 2:9a, “But we see Jesus!” May I “see Jesus” over and over again here in Isaiah’s writings! And may I “see” Him with perception, insight, and with 20/20 clarity of vision. As a result, I pray that I will comprehend more fully than ever Who Jesus really is in all His wonder, love and grace. In His Name I ask this. Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
My “daughter-in-love,” Ron’s wife, Ann, writes a monthly article in the Crossroads Compass Magazine. She also checks over my punctuation, etc. before my blog is posted. I’ve just read her January offering and it fits in beautifully with my blog from yesterday. I’ve asked her to put here just a portion of her story below. Thanks Ann! (click here to download a PDF version of the complete January issue of the Crossroads Compass…also, previous issues are available to download here).
Yours for “seeing” Jesus and “soaring” with Him,
David
“Called to Soar”
By Ann Mainse
(Excerpt from an aritcle in the January, 2014, Crossroads Compass magazine)
There’s a story of a traveler who came upon an eagle’s egg. He searched for the nest but found nowhere to return the egg. So the man did the next best thing. He put the eagle’s egg into a nest with chicken eggs. Eventually, the egg hatched and the eaglet fit right in with the other baby chicks. He clucked and scratched and pecked around and basically lived as a chicken for years. And then one day he saw a glorious sight. High up in the sky, with wings outstretched, was a magnificent bald eagle. Something stirred within him. Something called him to come up high.
“What’s that?” he asked a nearby chicken. “That is an eagle,” the chicken replied, “the king of the birds. He soars and flies and has unlimited freedom – something we will never have.” Upon hearing this, the chicken-eagle hung his head in sorrow and ignored the urge to join his brother high above the clouds. Sadly, he lived the rest of his life clucking and pecking and scratching. He never knew he could fly.
What a sad story. But what is sadder still is that for many of us, that is our story. We have the ability to fly, but we choose not to. How so, you ask? Consider this…
We are called to soar. We are offered the wings of eagles. It’s in the Bible. Really…
“Those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.” ~ Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)
Hold the vision! Rest assured, with God, the destination is His achievement with safe landing.
One of my favorite scriptures
Fear not for I am with you , ever present always there to help in anything just call on hin GOD HELP ME he will never leave us or forsake us casting all our cares upon Him I want to fly high on eagles wings
Oh how precious is our Lord He loves us uncondionally thank you Ann for that story it touched my life to not always be scratching but have Gods best and thank you David for bringing us Gods word to life and understanding
I say yes Lord I want to fly high
Bless all of the readers of Gods love letter 😉
My father wrote on his gravestone in reference to my mother, “Together We Soar.” He was a glider pilot and instrumental to bringing the gliding programme to Canada for the Air Cadets. It is interesting how many pilots (including Commander Chris Hadfield) have a fear of heights while standing on the edge. A Private Pilot, as you were David, I feel the same. Yet, when flying we have no fear. It’ all about falling and having no control before we would come smasing into the ground! We have faith in the wings which give us flight, and our ability to fly. How wonderful it is to trust in Christ and fly by the power of the Holy Spirit!! And, we don’t even need a license! Only, to believe. To talk with God and know we are part of His mighty creation! Have a great day, in His strength and love!!
Our heavenly Father has patience and love for all of us, immeasurable. Only God would still love us after all the ignoring and sin we’ve done to him.
Thank you David and Anne for the reminder of being able to fly with our LORD. Amazing Grace.
this makes me think of the words to an old song; “if I had the wings of an angel, over these prison walls I would fly…” too often we put ourselves in a prison of our own making, and like the eagle in today’s blog, we peck around through life, forgetting we can fly…content to be less then we were created to be.
Don Moen has a song called “Like Eagles” and one verse says:
‘And I will soar like wings on eagles, held by the hand of God, I will run and not grow tired, when on His name I call.’
Lord, may we each place our hope in You, for You will renew our strength that we may soar like eagles, and not growing weary or faint.
not sure if I am doing this right but hopefully this will work for those interested, if this doesn’t work one can google ‘wings of eagles’ youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5EE6g_a9gs
What great news Pastor David. 15 more years we bloggers would love to receive .God is so good. Elaine B.
Hey…started following this blog recently.Im really enjoying it !!!
Another thing about eagles….they soar…but they are also fierce fighters! We need to fight for our freedom to be christians in this crazy world ! Blessings…wanda
What a mighty God we serve! We are so encouraged David by your good news! In our reading this morning l loved Isaiah 41:8 “But you Israel are my servant,Jacob whom l have chosen, The descendants of Abraham my “FRIEND” Oh to be counted a friend of God!” We are also his servants, his children and his friend, what a privilege! All who love him and have accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour also have the Lord as our FRIEND. Just think about it, Almighty God is our Father and Friend! Amazing!
Thank you for the story and and David
Lianne
Dear Rev. David M.
A big thank you today for Anns PDF format of crossroads Compass . What a joy for me to be able to read on my computer screen all the wonderful literature finally on my own for I usually have to wait for someone to read it for me not having the use of my arms .
What a marvellous almighty God we serve taking all our fears away .
Thank you Lord , thank you Jesus for your amazing grace.
Have a blessed afternoon.
xxxx Carole.
Isaiah 41 vs; 11
Behold; all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded : they shall be as nothing, and they that strive with thee shall perish.
You know…….I love flowers, sun shine and puppies to …..but….this mornings
Bible study is very, very profound considering where we are at this moment in history.This is serious stuff!
Isaiah 42 vs; 23
Who amoung you will give ear to this? Who will hearken and hear for the time
to come?
This prophesy is critical today, for as the Bible record shows…..any nation
that goes against Israel are soon distroyed period!!! End of storey.
The US government is on a slippery slope here. I mean realy , there is talk of
dividing up Israel. BIG mistake! Plus sin abounds and is approved of by congress.
Here in Canada we are even further along accept for Stephen Harper’s unwavering commitment to Israel. But will God spare our nation just because
we support Israel and Ignore our sin filled laws that encourage prostitution, gambling, drinking, gay merriage, drugs, abortion, youthinaisia, etc….etc….
I think not. If he dose he will have to appologise to Sodom and Gamorah.
So again….Isaiah 41 vs; 11
Behold ; all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing, AND THEY THAT STRIVE WTH THEE SHALL
PERISH!!!! This sounds like a warning to us to be careful of the company we keep.
This is interesting……!
Yesterday I spoke to a pastor from Washington state .Pastor Art shared an interesting testamony of something that he and many others from his Church
believe could be of signifigant importance concerning the impending prophies unfolding today, to do with, iether all of us, or just the Jewish people them selves.
Two years ago a Jewish woman and her eight year old son joined their Church.
This young boy has a condition that restricts his mental development. He is now ten years old but in his mind he is five years old.
Two years ago Pastor Art said how he met this young boy and his mother was
one Sunday during worship at a quiet moment, the door to the sancuary ,burst open and this then eight year old boy with the mind of a four year old , ran straight to Pastor Art . Through his arms around him and said “Pastor Art I love you! Etc…..etc……”
It was a very unusual and special moment, “you had to be there,” he said “people in the congragation began to cry. “He said “you could feel the love.”
Well…. last Saturday night during a special worship this young boy ran up to Pastor Art and in front of every one cried “Pastor Art….!.Pastor Art…….!
Jesus said we only have 130 days 130 days Pastor Art! That’s it! 130 days!”
Art said every one was mesmorised…….it was another wonderfuly unusual evening.
So he said he desided to check the calendar and he discovered that 130 days from then would be April 15th 2014 wich isJewish Passover. When he told me that I said it is all so a blood moon.
He was not familiar with the blood moons, so, I e: mailed him the video ,
The coming four blood moons. We can only imagine what this means, but restasured only God knows
I find this interesting! for three reasons 1 This boy has no concept of time .
2 The date has signifigance in Gods relm and
3 This your boy is a Jew. .
Just moments a go I was on my knees in prayer I asked God to speak to me through his word. I opened my Bible and my eyes fell on 1Timothy 6 vs: 1 -21
Grace be with thee Amen!
Blessings , love and peace to all
M.
Thank you again ,and I am so relieved about your health improving at impooosible odds !!!!! But for Jesus nothing is impossible!!!!!!
Sincerely your born again sister in Christ!!!!!!!!