ARISE! SHINE!
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 59-60
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Here is a panorama of the southern wall of the Old City of Jerusalem. In the distance you can see the Mount of Olives. Jerusalem seems to be the focal point of the war between God and all the forces who oppose Him. Isaiah writes of a time when they “Shall call your walls Salvation and your gates praise!” (Isaiah 60:18).
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: Isaiah 59:1-2, 60:5a
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,
That it cannot save;
Nor His ear heavy,
That it cannot hear.
But your iniquities have separated you from your God;
And your sins have hidden His face from you,
So that He will not hear.
…Then you shall see and become radiant,
And your heart shall swell with joy…
Sin is a wall which keeps God out and destroys us from within. When the people of Jerusalem were without hope, except for Isaiah and a remnant who cried out to God for Salvation, God Himself took the initiative. The great “Intercessor,” the One to whom Isaiah refers in dozens of personal pronouns throughout his book, appears. “His own arm brought Salvation for Him” (59:16). The Lord signed into the law of the universe a covenant (He cannot break His covenant!). What Hope! Isaiah 59:21 is one of incurable optimism. God has put His Spirit upon His people and put His Word in their mouths from generation to generation, and this promise includes us almost 3,000 years later, “from this time and forevermore!!!”
Chapter 60 begins with a direct command from God! “Arise, Shine; for your light has come!” Jesus, the Messiah (Christ), has dispelled the darkness and has come as “The Light of the world.” Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of life” (John 8:12). What makes us “Shine!” is, as the moon reflects the sun, spending time in Jesus’ Presence, in His Word and in prayer, and we cannot help but “Shine!” Most of us are “Gentiles.” Isaiah 60:3 is an encouragement to us all. Isaiah 60:5 is the result, “Then you shall see and become radiant, and your hearts will swell with joy!”
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Swell my heart with Your joy, Lord, I pray! Make my heart big enough for people everywhere. May Your Spirit be upon me in a greater and greater way, and may Your Words not depart from my mouth. I ask these mercies in the Name of “the Light of the world,” Jesus Christ. Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
I’ve read ahead into Isaiah 61. I simply couldn’t resist reading again the very words which Jesus read in His introduction of His Light, as it burst forth in His public ministry (Luke 4:16-21). But I’m getting ahead of myself. The key verse says, “Behold the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save!” I’m reminded of a TV series I hosted back in the early 1970s which was sponsored by approximately 15,000 “Assemblies of God” churches in the USA. The communications director suggested that the average person watching would not understand the word “saved.” However, after the first show where I interviewed a medical doctor whose life had been in absolute shambles, and for whom the Lord had done an amazing transformation, I used the word “saved.” Everyone understood what this great word meant. A lifeguard understands exactly what it means when someone is going under and cries out “Save me!” Our readings in Isaiah show a world going under for perhaps the last time, but God’s long, long arm reaches out to humanity and we are saved! The Scripture says, “For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved” (Read Romans 10:8-15). I ask every reader, “Have you been saved?” If not, or if you are not sure, read carefully those words from God through the Apostle Paul and call out to the Lord, “Save me, O Lord!” Then call the 100 Huntley Street prayer line toll free at 1-866-273-4444, and ask them for help in understanding how we can know we are saved.
Yours with determination to “ARISE” and to “SHINE” during this new day and every day,
David
allelauah
“According to thy NAME, O GOD, so is thy praise unto the ends of the earth: thy right hand is full of righteousness” Ps 48:10
Today, I am requesting your individual prayers for a Christian brother and sister who have each sustained very serious multiple injuries in a vehicle accident and are in the hands of almighty GOD as we pray for their healings
and recoveries. We pray that The LORD JESUS will be exalted through this situation.
Rev. Terrence Felvus – Grassie On.
Lord, I pray for my Christian brother and sister who have been hurt, I pray you will relieve them of their pain, that you will heal all injuries to their flesh and that you would redeem their suffering, in Jesus name and by His power and in His authority I make this request. Amen.
Amen…I agree in prayer!!!
Amen, David, for your prayer!!! Isaiah’s prophetic words are mind boggling–to grasp the enormity of it all! The photo and caption speaks volumes. “No longer will violence be heard in your land, nor ruin or destruction within your borders, but you will call your walls Salvation and your gates Praise.” Oh hallelujah, our Sovereign and gracious King! The Lord reigns forever! “The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory… The Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.” These Words are like honey to our lips, and warmth to our souls. Yes, Lord, because of Your light in our lives, we shall see and become radiant, and our hearts will swell with joy, indeed! Amen! Praise God through whom all blessings flow–to all saints, today.
As The Deer Pants For The Water, Robin Mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBppKZ0eJlQ
For Pastor Terry’s prayer request:
We hold up, to You, our Heavenly Father, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and to the sanctity of the Holy Spirit, our Christian brother and sister, seriously injured in a car accident. You are the Almighty Healer and Physician, Lord. May Your precious blood flow over their bodies to nourish, strengthen and heal them, Lord. Place them in the right hands of surgeons and nursing staff to properly care for them in hospital, Lord. We call on You to oversee their situation, Lord, to bring about a miraculous recovery, and for Your light to shine through them. We believe in YOU for their ultimate healing, Lord! We give You all the praise and glory. In Jesus, precious Name! Amen, amen, and amen.
Amen.
Amen!!
Amen
Thank you Beveree, agreeing with your prayer for those dear people.
Amen
This did not come through my “in box” this morning
was able to access through yesterday morning’s
off to church…have a blessed day everyone!!!
allelauah
Irene look in your spam it goes to mine then I come back here I booked marked
100 words hope this works
Lianne Hogg
Thank you Lianne …that is where I found it , in Spam, when I went back.
Praying the promises of Isaiah 59:21 “My words shall not depart….from your descendants’ descendants,” Blessed assurance.
Yes, Lord. I claim the words from Isaiah 59 also for my descendants. May God mightily minister to the couple in the accident and may His glory shine through this incident. Amen.
Agree in prayer with Beverlee’s prayer for the couple badly injured in the car accident that the Lord will overshadow them with His merciful and healing hand and preserve their lives today and restore them. Keeping them in prayer in Jesus Name!
Yes, agreeing in prayer for that couple!!!
Isaiah 59:20-21 is my prayer and declaration!!! thank You Jesus, Amen and Amen!
I can’t help but chuckle! David Manse’s mentioned a lifeguard knows what to do when someone cries out for “HELP!”
I’ve written a few times about how thankful I am that God took my broken leg and turned it ito me learning to swim! 20 years ago! AND I absolutely believe that it was meant to be and I see lifeguards nearly everyday, I see what they do, I see how trained they are and I truly feel that in my community we have the best trained lifeguards in western Canada! They not only are trained to save lives, do CPR, do Emergency calls, they also care about the people who come to the pool. They have gotten to know many people, they know when a child is grieving the loss of their parent, they knew that my Pastor had to go to the hospital and they knew he had a pace maker put in him, they ask about his care, they rejoice over families having babies, they support and encourage young children into becoming the person that God intended them to be, they put on exercise programs for all ages, they do training of other First Aid individuals, they go ito schools and teach water safety, they also teach how to look after your heart! They also put on FUN DAYS in the winter times and these FUN DAYS gets the whole family out swsimming and playing games and have fun! WE HAVE AMAZING LIFE GUARDS!