AWAKE! AWAKE!
Suggested Reading: Isaiah 51-52
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee. Jesus made His home in Capernaum, which is located on the north end of this Lake. His habit was to awaken and pray even before sunrise. Like the rays of early morning light break through the clouds, so we should expect to receive God's Word for the day. Psalm 119:130a tells us that "THE ENTRANCE OF YOUR WORDS GIVES LIGHT!!!"
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: Isaiah 52:7
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!”
Three times in today’s reading, God’s people are told, “Awake! Awake!” Three times God speaks through His prophet Isaiah and says, “Listen to Me!” God wants our undivided attention! Whatever it takes to move us to bring the Good News of Jesus is beautiful in God’s sight, even our feet! The “Good News” in today’s reading is that Messiah (Christ) will come to us. His feet, beautiful because of the message He brings, have brought Him, not just to the mountains seen in the above picture, but to those places where each one of us have experienced His “Peace,” His “Good things,” “Salvation,” and the fact that “God reigns!”
Isaiah wants to be wide awake and listen to the message of the One who has come to be a Servant of mankind. Specifically he tells us about the death of the Messiah, and the total surrender that would take Him to the cross and render Him unrecognizable, because of the beatings He suffered. “His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of man” (Isaiah 52:14). His beautiful feet were nail pierced, as was the practice in Roman crucifixion. Read Psalm 22:14-18 and Luke 23:33-49.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I pray that I will be fully “Awake!” You’ve reminded me six times about this in today’s reading. You’ve also reminded me three times to “listen” to You! I’m awake and I’m listening. You are telling me that I am to have the beautiful feet of one who, like Messiah, has the responsibility to bring the Good News to everyone I meet, and that I must support those who go to the end of the earth to bring that Good News to all! I ask for grace to sacrifice my resources, my time, and my very life in Your greatest of all causes. I pray in the Name of the One who has gone before me, Jesus, Messiah, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
There were eight beautiful feet that brought Wallace, Douglas, Delbert and Merrill to that grade 12 high school classroom, where I watched their lives carefully from September to November that fall. Not only did they pass my tests for what a true Christian should be, but they shared the “Good News” of Jesus with me. The previous summer, I worked full time for the local Chrysler dealer and then part time during the school year. There were beautiful feet there too. The witness for Jesus was strong! I knew the Gospel, but as a result of my mother’s death when I was 12 and my father’s departure when I was 15, I had run away from God, Whom I had known as a child. After grade 11 high school in a Christian boarding school, I was informed that I was not welcome to return to that school, because of my rebellion. Therefore, I ended up living with my oldest sister and her husband, moving to Pembroke, Ontario, and meeting people who, along with my sister, brought me “Good News,” “Peace,” “Glad tidings of good things,” and who proclaimed, “Salvation!”
With my time, energy, resources, and all my heart, I want to do the same for others! I may have more time to give. I definitely have more energy, and I have some resources to give. Click here for a clip from this past Friday’s 100 Huntley Street telecast, where my son Ron interviews me.
Yours for feet that bring “Good News!”
David
Pastor Rick Warren brings “Glad tidings of good things” to us in his book, The Daniel Plan. When Rick was asked to pray the inaugural prayer at the swearing in of the current President of the United States, he was pressured by the organizers to not pray in the Name of Jesus! When you know Rick personally, you also know that this was a challenge to be met head on! The result was that he concluded his prayer by saying the name of Jesus in four languages, Hebrew, Spanish, Arabic, and English! There are lies about Rick on the internet and in the mouths of some who are on radio and TV. Don’t believe them. Rick is one of the most effective people on earth in bringing people into “salvation.” Have you called 1-800-265-3100 yet to get The Daniel Plan book? Or have you gone online to order it here, or to sign up here? This is a life-changing book. I urge everyone, DON’T MISS THIS OFFER!!!
Dear David.
Thank you for all the wonderful
Mornings.and you look so well
Yes prayers do work.my love to
Norma Jean. Have a great day.
Blessings Veronica.
Our God reigns
Our God reigns
Praise God for defeating Satan and giving us ne life in Him so we can proclaim the gospel to evrry creature , God wants all to come to repentance and follow Him we put our confidence in Him because without Him we can do nothing , Use us to be beacons of light in a dark place and give us the boldness to speak Salvation .
God Bless you David and we thank God our father for your complete healing and for the strength
He has given you to proceed in Gods work for Gods kingdom in Jesus name Amen
David you are looking so well and wonderful God has and is
answered our prayers lots of good news
I love to watch sunrises and sunsets
Lianne
I thank the Lord for answered prayer for your healing. God is good, His love is eternal and His faithfulness endures to all generations. With that I pray for certain family members who have not received Jesus. Please join me in praying for them. Be blessed today as you live in His light.
I am so thankful to God for putting your biography in my hands and through reading that, I found out about this blog. I will be using it in my daily devotions now and I am so happy that you are healed and this blog will go on for sometime.
I love hearing the passage being read as I follow along in the text.
God bless you even more!!
It is a marvel how the timing of certain passages tie directly into our life events! Call it coincident or God-incident, it happens at pivotal times when change is in the air. Looking forward to reading and following The Daniel Plan. In 90 day’s I’m sure our health will be better off for it! Lifting up those in prayer whom are experiencing hardship with ill family members. During the winter months, this can be particularly difficult. Maintain your perspective and know what you can handle, and what needs to be surrendered in prayer. May our Lord give you strength and hope, wisdom and guidance during this time!
Isaiah is such a great inspiration.
I don’t know of anyone who hasn’t rebelled in their lifetime. Praise the Lord He allows us time to realize how to truly live our lives here on earth.
I pray that Jesus will keep us all safe from evil and harm in our journeys of this exciting and meaningful life. Many a blessed relative has helped us to realize our worth.
Thanks again David for speaking out!
Such a powerful reading today in Isaiah 51-52 and even more empowering message from you, David! The clip of you and Ron, who has followed so eloquently in his father’s footsteps and become so comfortable in your former role on 100 Huntley Street, was precious! Praise God for your health report–you look fantastic! Thanks also to Reynold for the incredible photo and caption, today! Every beautiful sunset, water, and landscape scene, reminds me of God’s creation and calls me to paint. I know it is not me but the Holy Spirit who paints through me. To God I give all the praise and glory!
I want to thank all the saints, today. I just went back to yesterday’s blog post, and read the uplifting, personal, and encouraging comments in response to my prayer request for my mom, Jean. David, thank you so much for taking the time to type out the prayer you wrote for your mom, Barbara, who passed from Alzheimer’s. I was so touched! I, too, have learned forgiveness from my mom and that is something we were able to talk about, lovingly. That has been the most precious gift! Catherine, Susan, Ger, Rosemarie and Irene–thank you for your prayers for my mom–they give me great comfort and strength. Samuel, thank you for sharing such a personal message about your wife with Alzheimer’s at such a young age. It was very moving and encouraging. As you said, sharing our prayer needs and life situations helps comfort so many individuals reading the blog. Jesus is our strength, indeed. I am so thankful my mom feels the love of our Lord around her. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Ger, know I am praying for you with your house during winter; that the burden be lifted off your shoulders in a remarkable way. Irene, I am holding your sister, Ollie, up in prayer. May God bless her and keep her.
But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail. Isa 51:6b
May I also say thank you to fellow saints who don’t post comments, but are praying at home for my mom, and all the prayer requests that come across the blog. God bless you, each and every one, and may He richly bless and keep you!
Thank you, Beverlee.
Thank you again and many blessings in the new year ,God bless you all!!!!!!
Oh how God’s glory of creation shows in the sunrise picture from Reynold. Thank you. It is no wonder it draws you to paint Beverlee.
Just watched the clip with you and Ron, Pastor David….you look wonderful PTL
Will be ordering my Daniel Plan and starting when doctor says I am ready to get going. Thank you everyone for your prayers, as I continue to pray for all of you.
This blog continues to be meat for my soul and I can’t wait to read it each day and hear the comments of my fellow HAPPY saints in The Lord.
Thank you, Beverlee for your prayers and for others who may be praying. Love these portions of Isaiah and you blog, David and photos, Reynold. You look great David and shared with someone today how the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. Am waiting for my book to come, but I took charge over my health in 2006 and entered a program called, “Simply for Life” which was profitable. Take care everyone.
Have asked the Lord to help your sister, Ollie and husband, Merv, Irene. God bless you. When we witness, we cannot promise anyone a “bed of roses” but if we are humble and willing to place our life in God’s Hands, we can have every confidence according to God’s Word and the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross that He is able to take care of us and bring us to a place where we will want to be, having forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Amen!
This scripture brought to mind the song “How lovely on the mountain are the feet of Him who brings good news, good new, proclaiming joy and happiness, Our God Reigns, Our God Reigns” ….Praise God!! He Reigns!!
and I too pray to be Awake and to Listen more diligently…in Jesus Mighty Name I pray this.
So good to see you sharing with Ron, and you looking so well David!!!!
Thank you for your praying for my sister Beverlee Kay!!!
Thank you Sir for another great message.
I will be travelling to Sierra Leone, West Africa in a couple days for a month. I am not sure how steady the internet network is over there since I left, so I don’t know if I will be able to read this blog every morning. If it turns out that I will be, Praise The Lord, but if I can’t, I will try to catch up when I get back. I kindly ask all by blog buddies to kindly pray for journey mercies for me and my family, as we all would be travelling together. God bless us all:)
May you and your family be protected by the wings of angels and may God bless you with traveling mercies to and from Sierra Leone, Patricia! Enjoy your month there and be of good spirit as you are in God’s care.
Amen Beverlee Kay
May God give you and your family journeying mercies Patricia as you travel to Sierre Leone and give you safety while there.
I am thanking God on how He will use you in west Africa! Have a wonderful trip with your family. Hopefully we will be able to get updates from you. Blessings forward.
Dear Rev. David M.
So grateful to the Lord for the wonderful healing that could be seen in your overall healthy appearence on your interview with Ron last friday . Will be joining you and Norma-Jean and all the others on the Daniel Plan .
Like you Beverlee I had to go through many years of my mom and dad strucken by alzeihmer . God was so present through it all and actually years later after gone home to the Lord we realized that we had many precious moments . My sibling, the grand children and even in the confusion of alzeihmer the sparkle in both of my parents eyes would shine each day when we brought them togather. And I call that Gods Great Love.
Keeping you all in prayer ,
Blessed day everyone
xxxx Carole.
Amen Carole
Thank you for sharing about your parents, Carole, and for your prayers. God bless you and keep you, dear sister-in-Christ!
Mr. Mainse: I enjoy your blog so much. It’s exciting to be able to read it and now that I have Biblegateway.com it has helped me immensely. If Mr. Rick Warren is as you say he is, I don’t understand why the situation is still rising up. I believe God is trying to tell us something, but I don’t what and I trust you sir, I trust you to do the right thing whatever that may be! It does bother me a lot. O love the Lord, I love your words. I don’t want to hear about another Jim Baker. I hoper yu understand and I will continue to pray about this situation. Thank you again.
Good morning,
I ordered the Daniel Plan weeks ago. But have still not received it. Does anyone know what the delay is?
Thank you and blessings
Shantha Rebekah