When I was walking and praying the other morning, I thought about how it must have been for Adam, getting to walk with God every day. As I dwelled on that image, I asked God, “What did you and Adam talk about?” I can’t say I heard this from God directly, but the thought I had was, “Adam asked a lot of questions.” I laughed when I thought about it. Of course, he did. Adam had no context or history for life. God was his Teacher, Father, and Friend. When you know nothing, you tend to ask a LOT of questions! I pictured Adam like a small child pointing at things and saying, “Tell me about that!”
Then I had another thought. A more disturbing thought. When I’m with God, I usually DON’T ask a lot of questions. I tend to do a lot more TELLING. I tell God what I want or think I need. I tell God who needs help and how to help them. I tell God how our church is doing and who or what needs to be fixed. I literally shook my head and laughed out loud as I pictured ME as Adam telling God all the things He needs to fix in this amazing world that He created. Here I am, a self-focused, half-a-brain, dummy walking with the smartest Being in the universe, and I’m doing all the talking. It was EMBARRASING.
God reminds us in our passage today that HE alone is God. Not me. Not you. HIM. He’s not just smart. He is All-Knowing. He’s not just capable. He is All-Powerful. He invites us to bare our hearts, share our needs, and cry out to Him as our Friend and Father. But He is also our Teacher. I’m not sure exactly how it’s supposed to work, but I know that my resolve is that I have to find a way to do more asking, seeking, and knocking than telling. I’m sure that God has a whole lot more to say, and I’ve not been shutting up enough to hear it. I need to be more “Adam” and less “Advisor.”
How about YOU? Are you taking advantage of the greatest opportunity in the world to walk and share with Almighty God? If you are, who’s doing most of the talking and telling, and who’s doing most of the listening? Though it seems funny, it’s easy to forget sometimes who is God and who is not. Let’s begin our prayers with, “You are God, Lord, and I am not!” More Adam, less Advisor. That’s God’s Word for you today.

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” – Ephesians 3:20 (NLT)

When I was in junior high and high school, there was a group of us neighborhood boys who used to hang out together. We played ball, traded comics, and often stayed over at each other’s homes. But in early high school, a few of the gang began to move into stuff that a couple of us couldn’t go along with. They would steal stuff from stores. They started getting older guys to buy alcohol for them. A few started getting into drugs.
It wasn’t long before the “bad boys” of the group started putting pressure on the rest of us to go along with them. When we wouldn’t, they would laugh at us. They weren’t over the top with their pressure, but they would call us “goody-goodies” and a few other names that weren’t so nice. They made it clear that they didn’t think we were “real men” because we wouldn’t do what they did. As you can imagine, as teenage boys, none of us liked having our masculinity challenged like that. But no matter how much heat they put on us, for the most part, we stood strong. Have you ever been in scenarios like that?
The final part of the verse from Isaiah that we’ve been examining addresses dealing with this kind of pressure. “When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” This verse reminds us of the three Hebrews in the Book of Daniel. They wouldn’t bow down to the king’s image, so they were thrown into the fiery furnace to be burned up. But they weren’t burned up. When the king looked in the furnace, he saw FOUR men in the fire. And he describes the fourth man as someone who looked like a “god.” When they told them to come out of the fire, the three Hebrews not only weren’t burned, they didn’t smell like smoke! God was in the furnace with them.
Maybe you’ve been feeling the heat for your faith. Perhaps you work around people who engage in conversations or activities and pressure you to join in. Maybe you have a friend or two who tries to join in with them to cut corners you shouldn’t cut or do things you shouldn’t do or watch things you shouldn’t watch. Listen very carefully to this next one. Maybe some of you have been tempted to join in with church gossip that is being framed as “sharing.” It’s when the heat is on that we discover who we really are in Christ. Don’t compromise who you know God wants you to be. Stand up. Stay strong. And be firm in your faith. The same God who got you through the deep waters will see you through the fire as well! That’s God’s Word for you today.

Let’s continue reflecting on this amazing passage of scripture today by taking a look at the second sentence. “When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.” As we talked about yesterday, God often seeks to give confidence in the future by referring to His work in the past. This part looks like a nod to Joshua and the people standing before the Jordan River. Do you remember that story?
The river was at flood stage. There was no chance of crossing it safely. Then God instructed Joshua to have the priests go first, carrying the Ark of the Covenant, which represented the presence of God. As the priests put their feet in the river, the waters held back. The priests stood on dry ground in the middle of the riverbed with the Ark until all of the people safely crossed.
But that was only the beginning of the difficulties they would face! On the other side of the river were huge armies and well-fortified cities. When the spies had been sent out some 40 years before, they trembled before the obstacles that awaited them. Now, here they were, approaching Jericho, a city with walls they could never climb over. The good news is, they didn’t have to! Following the instructions of God, they marched around those walls for seven days and then blasted their trumpets loud and clear. And the walls that couldn’t be climbed came crashing down. It would be the first of many victories over the difficulties they would face.
What’s YOUR river of difficulty that lies in front of you? Do you believe today that the same God who saw Joshua and his people through can get YOU through as well? What’s your “Jericho?” What is it that you’re facing that seems unconquerable? Perhaps it’s a habit or addiction you can’t break. Maybe it’s a fear you can’t seem to get past. Or maybe it’s just a really hard time you’re going through. No matter what you’re facing or what you’re up against, you and God can overcome! Take hold of the presence of God and trust in His power and provision. There’s no river of difficulty that He can’t get you across. He won’t let you drown. That’s God’s Word for you today.

This is one of the great passages of scripture in the Old Testament. It’s one you ought to commit to memory or write down and put up on your refrigerator or in your Bible. It’s a Keeper. God is giving assurance to His people who have been in exile and will soon be brought home. They have faced many trials along the way. And will face many more in the days ahead. But God calms their fears and encourages their hearts with this powerful reminder of a truth they must never let go of: No matter what they face, God will see them through.
When you read through the passage, you see God pointing them to what He has done to give them confidence about what He will do. Let’s look today at just the first part of that verse. “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.” Moses was in “deep waters” as he proclaimed God’s deliverance to Pharaoh. He was so far in over his head, he couldn’t begin to imagine how God could do it. All Moses had was the promise of God that He would stretch forth HIS HAND. And He did!
Plague after plague was brought down upon the Egyptians. But each time, Pharaoh dug in his heels and refused to give in. Moses had to wonder at times if deliverance was ever going to come. But finally, the king gave in and let the Hebrews go. And they plundered the Egyptians as they left!
But just when Moses and the people thought they were in the clear, here comes Pharaoh and his army! Imagine Moses standing there, staring at the Red Sea, wondering how in the world God would save them now. And then, it happened! God told Moses to raise his staff, the waters of the Red Sea parted, and Moses and all the people passed through. Finally, God put a punctuation mark on His Power by having the waters drown the Egyptian army as they tried to pursue. The “deep water” Moses was in, may have been over his head, but it wasn’t too deep for God!
Hold onto that promise today. God is with YOU, just as He was with Moses. The “deep water” you may be facing may indeed be too deep for you. But I promise you that it is not too deep for God. The same God who broke the back of Pharaoh and parted the Red Sea can get you through whatever deep water you’re in. Hold tight to His Hand. Ask Him to carry you if you must. But trust the Lord to do what He always does for His People. He will see you through! That’s God’s Word for you today.

This past Sunday, I preached a message that a lot of people said really hit home for them. It was called “Getting Past Your Past.” The big idea of the message was that we often find ourselves being held hostage by the things that are behind us. Past failures. Past disappointments. Past hurts. These things and more can actually create a prison for us that we can find hard to break out of. They are more than just things that happened to us or things that we’ve done. They’ve become voices that we allow to define us. They’ve become our Identity.
Those of us who grew up in troubled homes often received messages we find hard to shake. We were told we’re a bother. We were told we’re a mistake. We grew up believing that we were the catalyst for all the troubles of our home. But we’re not. We’re just the convenient emotional rug that our parents or others wiped their dysfunction on. Many of us have continued to hold that belief, allowing anyone to treat us that way. We expect it. We feel we deserve it. It’s who we ARE, we think. But we’re wrong.
Our failures don’t define us. Our messed-up families and name-calling classmates don’t get to determine who we are. The Only One who gets to define us is The One who made us. Listen again to the words of the Lord spoken through Isaiah. “But now, O Jacob, listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, ‘Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.’” Sink this theology deep into your heart and soul. Let it be the divine radiation that heals the tumors of your past. Let it be the voice of truth that drowns out all of the lies you were told. Let it be the rewriting of your story and the reclaiming of your true identity. Declare the words of Paul in Romans. “Let God be true, and every human being a liar!”
It is God who made you. It is He who formed you. He is the one who found you valuable enough, beautiful enough, and precious enough to redeem. He bought you with His own blood. His death gives you life. And He loves more than you can possibly imagine. Let His words drown out every other voice you’ve ever heard. Feel His joy for you, His passion for you, and His delight in you as He says, “I have called you by name; you are MINE.” Step out of the prison of your past and into your future, bright with hope and promise. Because THAT’S who you really are. That is your True Identity. That’s God’s Word for you today.

One day, a little girl was playing with her toys. Her mother, who was folding laundry across the room, noticed the child's shirt was dirty and needed to be changed. After calling twice with no response, her mother called out as loudly as she could to her stubborn daughter, "Did you hear me, girl?" The little rebel smiled and answered, "Yes, Mom. I heard you. Well, my ears did, but my legs didn't!"
Does anybody have a child or grandchild like that? Has anybody ever been a child like that themselves? When I read our passage today, I thought of our oldest son. He seemed to have a hard-headed streak in him pretty much all of his life. He always thought he knew what was best. Or, even when he knew that what he was doing WASN’T right or best, he did it anyway. He used to make us CRAZY. What was truly frustrating was that all the things we were trying to get him to do were for his own good!
But sometimes we’re like that, too. God speaks, but we close our ears because we really don’t want to hear what He’s saying. He points out a habit that we need to quit. He shows us an attitude that really needs adjusting. He reminds us of someone we hurt or offended, whether intentionally or unintentionally. He reveals sin in our lives that needs to be confessed and repented of. But instead of embracing what He’s saying, we just keep on going as if we didn’t hear. Maybe, in the back of our minds, we justify it or rationalize it. We convince ourselves that it’s not a big deal. We assure ourselves that everyone has faults, so we’re entitled to have ours. So, like the mother with the little girl, God gets louder. And our hearts get harder. Along the way, we lose sight of the fact that God is smarter than us, and He really does know what’s best. Like a Good Father, God’s desire is for our GOOD. He’s not trying to hold us back. He’s trying to help us become all He knows we’re capable of becoming.
Take another look at our verse today, and ask yourself a really important question. Is there anything that God’s been trying to show you that you have been avoiding? Are there things that God has been saying, but you’ve not really been listening? Maybe today is a good day to give God an open heart and an open mind. Let’s lay our hard headedness and our hard heartedness at His feet and say those immortal words of Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” Let’s not wait until God has to do something drastic to get our attention. That’s God’s Word for you today.

Dark places and rough roads. Does that sound like where YOU are at today? As I read this passage from Isaiah, I thought about all the conversations I’ve had this past week with different people. One person who had recently lost their baby before it was even born. Another person who is learning how to navigate life without their spouse, who had died. An individual who is facing a major financial crisis. Still another who is trying to cope with chronic pain without any answers so far from the doctor. Another conversation was with a person whose company seems to be in complete chaos. They were all different people with different needs and problems. But the common denominator was that all of them were facing situations that seemed like dark places and rough roads. Maybe that’s the common denominator for us all.
But we have another common denominator as well. A promise from God. Through Isaiah, the Lord promises that we don’t have to face these overwhelming circumstances all by ourselves. Let’s reread our verse for today. “I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them. Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them.” Look at what the Lord says about these difficult roads we’re on. “I will brighten the darkness before them.” He didn’t promise that the darkness would just “go away,” but He did promise that He would brighten that darkness to show the way forward.
Look at that next promise: “I will smooth out the road ahead of them.” He doesn’t say that we won’t have to walk that difficult road or that He will make it even shorter. He says He’ll make it “smoother.” That means He won’t let us stumble and fall. He’ll steady our steps and give us strength for the journey.
The last promise is the best of all. “I will not forsake them.” What a powerful reminder. In fact, I want you to take a moment to say these words out loud: “I am not alone.” When you’re in those difficult times, it can seem like you’re all by yourself. But you’re not. God is right there with you. Every step along the way. Our Father is the Light before us, the steadying Hand upon us, and the Presence that walks beside us. Wherever you go this week, He is there. Especially in those dark places and on those rough roads. That’s God’s Word for you today.

There is a game show that’s been around since 1963 called “Let’s Make a Deal.” I was fascinated with it when I was a kid. If you’ve seen it, contestants have to pick what’s behind one of three doors. Often, after they’ve picked one, they get the chance to trade it for another door. Sometimes their first pick is something really nice, like a microwave or even a refrigerator, so they choose to keep it rather than risk trading it for a door that might have something useless behind it, like a goat or a plunger. But sometimes they pass up the chance to trade that nice gift for something spectacular, like a new car or an exotic vacation. New doors are risks. They are also opportunities.
When God opens new doors, it is not for random reasons. It may not be clear right away, but if God is in it, there is a purpose. I remember when I was here in OKC as an Associate Pastor. It was a great church with people we loved, and we had just built a brand-new facility with a high school-sized gymnasium. It was everything a young, ball-playing guy like me would want. But then, after six years here, God opened a door for me to go to a new church. This church was a church plant that a friend of mine had started the year before. It was less than a third of the size of the church we were at. They were renting a place to have Sunday services. Oh yeah, and my salary would have to be by faith because they weren’t bringing in enough money yet. But we believed God was in it. So we went.
Walking through that door turned out to be a life-changing move. God used that place not just to shape me to use me there, but He also used it to shape me in ways that changed how I did ministry from then on. When I went there, I thought it was because they needed ME. I discovered, though that part was true, the greater truth was I NEEDED THEM. I had no idea walking through it, but that door was God giving me a Major Gift. The pastor I’ve become and the people I have touched as God has used me in ministry, are because I said “Yes” to that door.
Reread our passage once again today. There are things we are blind to. There are places God wants to take us to that we are not aware of. I know that the door God may be asking you to walk through may be an “unfamiliar” one. I know you may not understand why He would have you leave what you’re doing, take a new role, step into a new ministry, or lead a new group. I can only tell you that there are times that there is work God wants to do, lives He wants to touch and change, or an impact He wants to make, and He needs YOU to walk through that door to do it. So, if you’ve been feeling God nudge or push you or He has set a door before you, the choice is yours. You stay right there in your comfort zone with that nice little microwave of a life you have. Or you can take what God has behind that door. Speaking from experience, I’d take the door! That’s God’s Word for you today.

“Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” – Luke 5:5 (NLT)

I’m currently doing a sermon series called “Deeper.” It’s a series based on Luke 5:1-11, where Jesus tells Simon Peter to take his boat out to deeper waters and let his net down for fish. I’m challenging our people to say “Yes” to the “deeper waters” God may have for them. One of the thoughts I spoke on Sunday before last was why God wants to take us to those deeper, more unfamiliar places—just like God expresses to us in our passage in Isaiah today. Can we unpack that a bit?
Sometimes God calls us to a “new path” that may be unfamiliar to us to push us to greater growth. Let’s get honest. It’s easy to become stagnant in our faith. Our Bible reading can become mundane. Worship can become predictable. Topics we’ve heard about before in Bible study groups can become boring. That’s why I think many of us would confess that our spiritual growth has become slight, if at all. But then God opens up a whole new opportunity to us. It’s a role we’ve never served in before. It’s a leadership responsibility we’ve never had to carry. Like taking on a new job in a whole new industry, we’re having to learn at an accelerated rate. Sometimes it’s like drinking from a fire hydrant. We grow like never before.
In a similar fashion, God leads us to new paths to learn to trust Him more. I remember when I was doing a restart with a church in PA years ago. Leading a congregation is a challenge in the BEST of scenarios. In church planting, EVERYTHING is a challenge! Finding a place to meet. Having people to help. Finding ways to reach out to the community, doing creative programming for all ages, and developing a quality worship experience. Oh yeah, and doing all that with NO MONEY! Going down unfamiliar paths makes you hit your knees, cry out to God, and depend on Him like you never have before. We always know we need God. But unfamiliar waters remind us how DESPERATELY we need Him!
Is God calling you to a new path? Does God seem to be nudging you toward a door that you feel terrified to open? Before you balk and walk away, make sure you pray it through. There may be lessons you’ll never learn any other way except on the new path God wants you on. Or it may be that God is calling you to another growth spurt in your relationship with Him. One that’s going to help you discover who He is and what He can do in ways that you never have before. That “unfamiliar” path may turn out to be UNBELIEVABLE! That’s God’s Word for you today.

This promise of God is one of the richest verses of scripture in the Bible. I want to spend the next few days unpacking it from a few different perspectives. Today, I want to look at the idea of God helping us off of the destructive path we’re on and helping us onto His Path, which leads to life.
I was talking with a father recently who is at his wits’ end with his son. His son is smart, capable, and could easily be an honor student. But there’s a problem. The son is addicted to “the screen.” Instead of doing his homework or studying for his tests, he plays games on his computer or watches videos on his phone. We’re not talking about MINUTES here. We’re talking about HOURS. As a result, his grades have dropped. His work is not getting done. And here’s the kicker. The son doesn’t understand the hole he is digging for himself.
As I talked with the father about various ways to address the issue, including taking away the devices he’s addicted to, he said he’s already putting that plan in place. But the deeper concern is that the son is having a hard time grasping the future consequences of the path he’s on. Lower grades mean fewer scholarship opportunities. Fewer scholarships mean fewer choices for colleges. If the bad habits continue into college, it means wasted money spent on classes that he will fail and not get credit for. Those same habits, carried into the workforce, mean fewer job opportunities and lower income—which will, in turn, impact financial and future family stability. The boy sees the NOW. The father sees the FUTURE.
That’s exactly how God is with us. When we choose our own path rather than the path of God, it’s not just about the now. It’s also about where this path is taking us. The boy likes the path he’s on right now because it’s easy and fun. But that fun is going to give way one day to heartache and regret if he doesn’t turn it around. The same is true when we choose our own path rather than God’s Path. The Book of Proverbs tells us, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but it ends in destruction.” If you don’t believe that, read the story of the Prodigal Son again in Luke 15.
God loves you infinitely more than this father loves his son. God doesn’t just want you to obey Him for obedience’s sake. God wants you to follow Him for YOUR sake. Jesus said, “I have come that you might have life, and have it to the full!” So, take a moment today to truly evaluate the path your life is on. Is it taking you TOWARD God or AWAY from Him? If you’re on God’s Path, fantastic! Keep up the good work! But if you’re on another path, remember this: God allows U-Turns. Like the Prodigal Son discovered, a happy ending to your journey is sometimes one good decision away. That’s God’s Word for you today.

Today’s verse is one of those that most of the people in Isaiah’s day didn’t really understand. Jesus was coming to “be a light to guide the nations.” He wasn’t just coming for Israel. He wasn’t just interested in Jerusalem. God’s love was for all people everywhere. No matter who they were. No matter what they had done. His light was meant to shine for ALL to find their way back to God. No matter how deep their darkness.
Dark. That’s a word that describes the place that a lot of us find ourselves in today. Some of us started out on a path that was well-lit. But somewhere along the way, we took a different path. Maybe it looked enticing. Maybe it was posted with signs promising everything we ever dreamed of. Or maybe it was a path that someone talked us into getting on. But instead of that path leading us to better days and a brighter future, we now find ourselves in a dark place. And we don’t know how to find our way out. If that’s you, Jesus came to be a light to you.
Some of us find ourselves in a dark place today because of losses we’ve experienced. We lost a spouse. We lost a child. We lost a parent. We lost a dear, close friend. Sometimes grief has a way of settling upon us like a thick fog or heavy blanket. People tell us we need to just “shake it off.” But we can’t. Like an anchor sinking to the bottom of the ocean, we just keep going down, down, down. We need a glimmer of hope. We need to know that it’s okay to feel again, breathe again, have joy again. If that’s you, Jesus came to be a light to you.
Jesus came to “be a light to guide the nations.” That means that Jesus came for US. He is the light that can save us from the dark paths of sin and self-destruction. He is the light that can guide us out of the dungeons of grief and despair. He is the Light of Life. He is the Light of Salvation. He is the Light of Hope. No matter what dark place we’re in or how bleak our circumstances might seem, Jesus was sent by the Father to find us and lead us Home. He is our Guiding Light. That’s God’s Word for you today.

God keeps His promises. Way back in Genesis, God entered into a covenant with Abraham, who was the founding patriarch of the Jewish nation. In Genesis 15, Abraham is struggling to believe that God will keep His word and fulfill what He promised. So God has Abraham collect a lamb, a goat, a turtledove, and a pigeon. Abraham kills the animals, splits their carcasses, and then lines them up on two sides to create a path to walk between them. The big idea was that this was the ritual for a covenant agreement. Two parties would line up the animals and then walk between them, declaring, “May this happen to me if I don’t live up to this covenant.”
But in this case, Abraham didn’t pass between them. God caused a flaming torch to pass between them, representing His Presence. God, in His Wisdom, knew that neither Abraham nor any of his descendants would be able to keep the covenant they were making. So God was saying, “May this happen to Me if YOU don’t live up to the covenant.” From the beginning, God knew that He would have to pay the price for our sin. And He did.
Isaiah foretells the coming of Jesus with a reminder that God always keeps His Promises. The Lord says, “I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them.” In other words, Jesus was sent to pay for the covenant that Israel could not live up to. Jesus was the Sacrificial Lamb. Jesus was the cost of our broken covenant. Jesus was the reminder that God keeps His Word even when we don’t keep ours. When Jesus cried out on the cross, “It is finished,” He was declaring that the covenant debt between God and man had been paid in full. Like the animals the flaming torch passed between, Jesus’ body was broken, and His blood was spilt. That’s why Revelation refers to Jesus as “the lamb who was slain before the creation of the world.” God knew the end of the deal before the deal was ever made.
Sit with that thought for a few moments. How much does God love you? Enough to enter into a covenant with you that He knows you can’t keep. Enough to not just cover His end of the bargain, but enough to cover your end, too. Enough to be faithful to you and keep His promises to you, even when you aren’t faithful to Him or keep your promises to Him. How much does God love you? Jesus spread out His arms on a cross and said, “This much.” That’s God’s Word for you today.

I watched a video of a pastor last week who shared a story of how he lost it on a hotel clerk. When he called down to let her know his room didn’t have running water, she simply said, “I know. I don’t know why, but your room is the only room that doesn’t have it.” Frustrated because she didn’t offer to fix it, move him, or make it right, the pastor went off on her. He gave full vent to his anger, saying pretty mean things to her. Finally, he said, “Do you have anything to say?” She said, “Yes.” Then she said, “I know who you are. You’ve preached at the Christian college I attend. I was so touched by your message and your ministry that I started watching you online, and even though I don’t have much, I try to send you a few dollars each month.”
Her words broke the pastor’s heart. He came down to the front desk, got on his knees, and begged for her forgiveness. He confessed that he was wrong and that how he treated her was selfish and sinful. The girl was gracious and forgiving. Sometime later, the pastor said he was preaching at that girl’s home church. He was humbled to discover from her pastor that even though the girl had told her pastor she had met him, she never disclosed how he treated her. So the pastor from the hotel had the embarrassing privilege of relaying the story to the pastor himself.
Isaiah shares how God designed for Jesus to “demonstrate God’s righteousness.” Jesus certainly did that each and every day that He walked upon this earth. But Jesus reminded us in John, “As God the Father sent Me, so send I YOU!” We’re SENT. Not just to preach, teach, and do lots of religious stuff. We’re sent to demonstrate the righteousness of God. That’s a bit more challenging, isn’t it?
Each day, we get the chance to demonstrate that righteousness by being patient with people who are frustrating us. Unfortunately, we sometimes fail at that task, like the angry pastor at the hotel did. That was NOT the righteousness of God. But then we can do what he did when he realized his sin. We can repent, own our failures, and humbly seek forgiveness from those we’ve hurt. That IS the righteousness of God! So is what the young hotel clerk did. She didn’t attack the pastor in return. She didn’t blow him up on social media. She didn’t throw him under the bus to her pastor at home. She FORGAVE. That is very much the righteousness of God! Each day, people are looking for a glimpse of God. Let’s let His Righteousness be demonstrated by US! That’s God’s Word for you today.

One night, a few years ago, I was talking to my grandson about the idea of evolution—how some people think that the universe just “happened” without any kind of divine help. I know he’s getting bombarded with that kind of teaching, so I was thankful for the chance to talk. It was a good discussion.
Later that week, when he came back to our house, he noticed a new ottoman we’d bought. When he asked where it came from, I said, “Nowhere. It just ‘happened.’” He looked at me and laughed. I said, “Don’t you think that can happen?” He shook his head no. I said, “What if I had all the parts for that ottoman lying there on the floor? How long do you think it would take for that wood, fabric, and screws to all come together to form that ottoman all on its own?” He just shook his head with that “You’re being silly, Grandpa” smile. But he got the idea.
Isn’t it funny that I would never be able to convince my grandson that something as simple as a footrest could form on its own, but he will be told over and over again along the way that something as big and complex as our universe happened all on its own. Think about it. Galaxies and stars and planets and the Earth, all forming themselves into systems and celestial entities. And to believe that life came from non-life. That somehow something as amazing as an eyeball could just “happen.” That kind of belief requires a level of faith that I simply don’t possess.
Isaiah reminds us where the heavens came from. They didn’t just “happen.” They were created by Almighty God. The One who exists beyond time and space spoke into being all that is. And He created the Earth to be perfectly suitable to sustain life. Then He created that life. All that is, came from His Hand. And He created US. You are not random, my friend. You didn’t come accidentally from some cosmic ooze. You were created by God. When you look up at the night sky and feel a sense of awe at the magnitude of it all, know this. The same God who made all of that, made YOU. You aren’t simply some leftover material from a Big Bang. You are a precious, priceless creation from a Big God. That’s God’s Word for you today.

I saw a video some time ago that was really disturbing. It was a pastor who was using the pulpit to give people a good tongue-lashing. He wasn’t just speaking in harsh generalities. This guy was calling people out by name. He called out a guy who was nodding off. He told the guy, “You might fall asleep on your English teacher, but you don’t fall asleep on me! I’m somebody important!” He then confronted another person who had evidently missed a few Sundays and called them a “sorry church member.” He also told a couple whose wedding he had on his calendar that they weren’t worth 15 cents. The rant went on and on.
It’s not unusual for people with power to sometimes get carried away with their position and authority. It’s easy to forget that we are given authority to SERVE, not to BE SERVED. Sometimes our ego becomes inflated. Sometimes we stop seeing our role as a gift from God, and we begin to see it as something WE have achieved, earned, or deserve. And sometimes power just becomes intoxicating, and we enjoy the feeling of flexing our muscles.
That’s why, once again, I love the description of Jesus that Isaiah gives in our passage today. Jesus wasn’t just powerful. He was All-Powerful! He wasn’t just another ruler with authority. He was the King of Kings! He didn’t just have the backing of a government or an army. He was Commander-in-Chief of the armies of God! But instead of parading into our world, flexing His muscles, and intimidating everyone around Him, look at Isaiah’s description. “He will not shout or raise his voice in public. He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle.” The most powerful man to ever walk the earth was tender with His touch and soft and careful in His speech. Jesus was secure enough in His identity that He didn’t have to tell people how important He was.
Let’s reflect that kind of character. As parents, grandparents, and caregivers. As pastors, teachers, and leaders. As supervisors, managers, and business owners. When God endows us with authority, it comes with a divine responsibility. Though we may be called at times to exercise that authority and deal with difficult people and circumstances, we are to do so with tenderness and self-control. Let’s not put people down. Let’s lift them up! Let’s not hurt with harshness. Let’s heal with tenderness. We’re STEWARDS, not OWNERS of our roles and positions. Let’s make sure we lead like Jesus! That’s God’s Word for you today.

“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.’” – Luke 5:4 (NLT)

In the Old Testament, whenever God raised up someone to do His work, He put His Spirit upon them. The Spirit is who empowered Moses to perform miracles. The Spirit is who gave Samson his strength. The Spirit is who gave the prophets the words to preach and the prophecies to make. It was the Spirit of God who knocked down the walls of Jericho, parted the waters of the Jordan, and won all those battles that Joshua fought. Without the Spirit of God, none of that stuff happens.
In Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus, the “chosen and pleasing one,” he points out that God’s Spirit will be upon Jesus. Jesus will “bring justice to the nations” because the power of God will be upon Him. But what Isaiah couldn’t completely comprehend was that Jesus would actually be the fullness of the Spirit of God in human form. The same Spirit that parted the Red Sea, shut the mouths of lions, and struck down the giant Goliath was now going to be walking the shores of Galilee. He would make blind eyes see, lame legs walk, and dead bodies rise from their graves.
The same is true for US! As we do the work of God, it is of utmost importance that we realize OUR dependence on the Spirit of God as well. We can’t save anyone. We can’t heal broken bodies. We can’t break the chains of addiction people wear. We can’t convict people’s hearts or breathe hope and encouragement into their souls. We can go through all the motions of religious activity that we want to, but it is only the Spirit of God that can do the work of God. Moses needed that Spirit. Abraham needed that Spirit. David needed that Spirit. So did Peter, Paul, and every other disciple. Regardless of our talents or giftedness or experience, only the Spirit of God can do the real work of God.
Let’s seek that Spirit as we begin this day! “Holy Spirit, fill us to overflowing today. Cleanse us of anything that is not of You, and pour into us all of who You are. We need Your Wisdom to make decisions that align with Your Will. We need Your Strength to accomplish the work that needs to be done. No matter our role in Your Kingdom, we need Your Hand upon us, Your Power flowing through us, and Your Guidance leading us. We confess today that we cannot do Your Work without You. Let us be the Living Vessels through which You pour out Yourself on those around us. Let us live in the fullness of Your Presence. This we pray in Jesus’ name, amen.” That’s God’s Word for you today.

Let’s focus on the second part of verse one today. “He is my chosen one, who pleases me.” What a powerful prophecy about the coming of Jesus. Jesus was indeed “The Chosen One.” He was chosen by God to be the full expression of His Divine Being to the human race. He was chosen to speak as the voice of God to people who needed to hear. He was chosen to do the good works of God as a Healer of the sick, an Advocate of the downtrodden, and a Seeker of the lost. He was chosen to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament. He was chosen to be the Centerpiece of the covenant for the New Testament. He was chosen to be the last High Priest, the last Sacrificial Lamb, and the last Living Hope for all mankind. He was chosen to be the Christ and the Cornerstone of the Church. Jesus was The Chosen One.
Isaiah also points out that Jesus was “pleasing” to God. Don’t you love it? Hundreds of years before Jesus was baptized by John, God gave the words to Isaiah that He spoke over Jesus as Jesus came up out of the water. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Jesus stated many times throughout His ministry that He wasn’t here on earth to do His own will, but to do the will of His Father. He lived the kind of life that was pleasing to God. He sought God with a love and passion that brought great joy to His Father’s heart. He lived with a focus to do what His Father wanted Him to do, be who His Father wanted Him to be, and carry out the plans and purposes for which His Father had sent Him. The Father LOVED the Son. And the Son was PLEASING to Him.
And now WE are the chosen and pleasing children of God! Think about it. God has now chosen US to be His voice, His presence, His priests, and His expression of the divine to a fallen world. God has chosen US to carry out His plans and His purposes. Every day we say “Yes” to Him, we bring Him great joy. Every day we seek Him, it warms and gladdens His heart. Every day that we let Him work through us, love through us, and share His Good News through us, WE bring great pleasure to our Father. Jesus was God’s chosen and pleasing Son. Jesus gave birth to that same heritage to us through His blood. So, look in the mirror before you leave the house, and lift your eyes to the Lord and declare, “Thank you, Father, that today I get to be your CHOSEN and PLEASING child!” What a heritage!! That’s God’s Word for you today.

When I sat down with our verse today, I laughed. Because as I walked and prayed this morning, I asked God to help me keep my eyes fixed on Him. I find it’s so easy to be distracted and focus on all the wrong things. It’s easy to focus on the problems rather than the Powerful One. It’s easy to focus on hurtful people rather than Our Healer. It’s easy to find ourselves consumed by how evil this world has become, rather than focusing on the Righteous One. It’s so easy for our eyes to drift to all the wrong places and all the wrong people. We need to look to Jesus. Isaiah reminds us of that.
Jesus is our model. That’s why it’s always funny to me when people say they’ve given up on God because of something a person did. Why do we blame God for dumb, fallen human beings? God didn’t make them say hurtful things. God didn’t make them do harmful stuff. God’s not to blame for their bad attitudes, ugly words, or hypocritical behavior. The BEST of human beings still have their flaws and failures. Look to Jesus!
Jesus is our Redeemer. This is important. We can’t save ourselves. Say that out loud. Say it again. The day you believe that you can be right with God by simply being a good person is the day you make yourself The Savior. You can’t. I can’t. And we can never let pride make us believe differently. We must also not let the Enemy use this truth against us. When we fail and fall, the Enemy wants us to wallow in our shame and make us believe we are beyond saving. That God can’t or doesn’t want us. But Jesus’ righteousness is greater than our unrighteousness. His ability to save is greater than our ability to sin. Paul says, “Where sin did abound, grace did much more abound!” Look to Jesus!
As Isaiah prophesies about the coming of Jesus, God says, “Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.” Don’t get distracted. Don’t get discouraged. Don’t become disillusioned. Don’t sink into despair when troubles and trials come. The One Isaiah spoke of is with you and for you. Fix your eyes upon Him. Look to Jesus! That’s God’s Word for you today.

As I read our verse for today, I sat with that last phrase for a little bit. “Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” Though those are wonderfully endearing words that the Lord speaks to us, it sparked several revealing thoughts within me. Can I share a few of those with you?
One realization that hit me is “I don’t always want the Lord’s help.” That’s a horrible truth to admit, but I know that it has been true for me. There have been times in my life when I’ve NEEDED God…to help me overcome, to help me change, to help me live up to who I ought to be. But in those times, I haven’t always WANTED His help. Areas I needed to address but didn’t want to address. Areas I needed to change but didn’t want to change. That’s why brokenness is such an important part of our journey. Brokenness has a way of opening the door of our hearts when we don’t want to open it.
Another thought I realized I’ve had before is, “I don’t always need God’s help.” Now, I never said this out loud and probably would have denied it if someone asked me if I’d ever felt this way. But I realized, as I sat with this verse, how often I’ve done things before, important things, without really seeking God or asking for His strength, wisdom, and guidance. Sometimes, when we’re pretty good at stuff, it’s easy to just do it out of our own strength. So we find ourselves preaching, teaching, and leading without truly seeking God’s help. We try to handle problems, have important conversations, and even counsel people without asking God to work in or through us. Or we go through tough times with our spouse or kids or other relationships, trying to navigate it on our own rather than pleading with God to bring the healing, understanding, and restoration that only He can bring.
My humbling realization today was that Isaiah reminds us that God is right there with us each day, holding our hand and ready to help in all the ways that we desperately need Him. He has the strength we need. He has the wisdom we need. He can give us guidance and insight that we don’t have. He can even intervene in supernatural ways. The problem often comes down to our WILL and our PRIDE. Today’s passage was a powerful reminder to me that many of the messes I make happen because I don’t invite God into the process. Maybe you can relate to this, too. God really is Our Helper. But we have to lay down our will and our pride and LET Him help. That’s God’s Word for you today.

A few years ago, I had two profound events that reminded me of God’s power and provision. One was in a time when circumstances hit that left me sure that we would never reach our budget as a church. The gap between what we needed and what I believed we could bring in as a church was too wide. The other was a staffing need that we had that I had done everything in my power to fill, but to no avail. I was out of options and didn’t know where to turn next.
In both of these situations, God showed up in a way that I can only describe as “miraculous.” In the first situation, He not only provided what we needed to close the gap financially, but He blessed us way above and beyond! In the second situation, God raised up someone who was not on my radar at all. They proved to be the perfect fit and exactly what we needed to take that area of ministry forward in an amazing way. In both of these cases, I was left shaking my head at the goodness and the greatness of God!
Sometimes I have to come to the end of “me” before I realize just how incredible our God is. Because when I CAN’T get it done, God CAN. When I RUN OUT of ideas or resources, God STEPS UP. Sometimes I think we hold our problems and our struggles too tightly. We’re so convinced that WE have to do this that it’s only when we run out of “WE” that God shows us who He is and what He can do.
Take another look at our passage today. “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah reminds us that God is always with us. We don’t have to be afraid! God has the answers that our minds can’t come up with. God has the strength that we lack for the journey. God can open doors that we can’t open. God can provide what we can’t come up with. When we’re fading fast, God will hold us up. Whatever we’re facing today, whatever battle we’re going through, whatever our need, our God’s got this. Because our God, our Provider, our Healer, our Father, has US! That’s God’s Word for you today.

On May 20th, 2013, we experienced a massive tornado here in Moore, OK. Some 1200 homes were completely leveled, and another 11,000-12,000 were damaged. Twenty-four people died, and hundreds were hurt. Over 2 billion dollars’ worth of damage was done. As I walked through the damage, it took my breath away. I couldn’t even imagine how long it was going to take to clean up the mess, much less rebuild. It was a daunting task.
But God is good. The community went to work, and helpers began to arrive from all around the country. People gave up their vacations to lend a hand. Donations came in from everywhere. Piles of rubble were pushed to the curb, and repairs and reconstruction began quickly. Within a year, you had to know where to look to even spot the damage the tornado had done. From decimation to transformation. It seemed to me an impossible task. But God saw us through.
Isaiah reminds us in our passage today that God will give us what we need when we need it. As the Jews faced the overwhelming task of returning to their destroyed homes and city, it had to take their breath away. How would this be done? Do they have the strength and the resources to do it? The answer to those questions is one of the great statements of Jesus: “What is impossible for man, is possible with God!” God HAS the strength for the task. God will give them the strength for the task. God will provide what they need when they need it. Restoration and reconstruction are what God does BEST!
Remember that today. God will give YOU what you need when you need it! He will help you SOAR to levels you’ve achieved before. He will help you RUN through your busy day, helping you do more than you ever thought possible. Or He will help you WALK that long, seemingly never-ending road you're on. His strength is YOUR strength. He doesn’t give up. He doesn’t get tired. And He doesn’t let go. Come hell or high water, or EF5 tornado, trust in the Lord, and He will see you through! That’s God’s Word for you today.
(And for those of you who heard I announced that I will be retiring next year, I DO plan on continuing to write my daily devotional… especially since I’ll have more time!)

Did you know that you can name a star? It’s true. For a minimum of around $50, you can go to a website called star-registration.com and have a star named for someone you love. Or for yourself. The website tells you that it is officially catalogued, so that no one else gets to name your star. It’s all yours.
It’s bogus, of course. No person, organization, or even country, for that matter, can give a star an “official” name. Because none of those entities actually own any of the stars they’re naming. I mean, I could look up at the sun, our closest star, and call it “Wanda,” but that doesn’t mean that’s really its name. And of course, it wouldn’t be nearly as hot! :-))
Isaiah reminds us that God put the stars in the sky. He created them. He gave them birth. He put them exactly where they needed to be. Isaiah says that God calls each of them by their name. Since those stars are His, He gets to call them whatever He wants. And He doesn’t have to pay a dime.
Let the starry night sky remind you today of the awesomeness of God. It’s estimated that there are somewhere between 100 and 400 BILLION stars right here in our own Milky Way galaxy. And, by some recent estimates, there are maybe up to 2 TRILLION galaxies out there. That’s a LOT of stars! But each one is unique, special, and was named by the God who made them all.
Now think about this. The God who made and named all those stars, made YOU as well. And He knows YOU by name. He knows where you’ve come from, where you’re at, and where you are going. Though God made this amazing, beautiful, starry sky, YOU are the most precious of all of His creations. Like His stars, no one else gets to define you, no one else gets to own you, and no one else gets to determine your worth. Yes, God named His stars, but He DIED for you. When you look at the night sky, remember this. You’re more than a star. In fact, you are worth more to God than all the stars in the sky put together. The stars are His beautiful creation. But YOU are His Beautiful Child. That’s God’s Word for you today.