God Loves me (and you): So come to him

My repentance before God led me to this sweet reminder:

Even if my ministry were to fail entirely.

God would still Love me.

Because I believe in Jesus that he lived, died and rose again.

I gave this to God because I have recognized my sin of seeking righteousness in the success of my ministry outside of Christ’s righteousness.

My heart says:

But I don’t deserve to be loved.

God said back to me:

No you don’t, but I love you anyways 

. . . 

and I forgive you and receive you as my son adopted into my family and inheritor of my glory and eternal life 

. . .

because of my Son Jesus

Have Peace my son

Ephesians 1: As Christians we need more and more of God

<sup>Sometimes in my life and faith I wish God's work in me was finished here and now. I wish that I lived righteously and holy every day. Sometimes I don't even see how Christians are much different than moral people of other faiths or who don't have a faith. 

But we all (Christian and not) need Jesus and the truth of Gospel every day. 

15</sup> For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, ¹⁶ I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit^[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. ¹⁸ I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, ¹⁹ and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength ²⁰ he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right handin the heavenly realms

Even these people who are faithful believers in Jesus still need more of God! Paul cries out for more of the Spirit to follow God more deeply. They need to know more of the hope of Jesus as his family: glorious inheritance and great power in Jesus for us now. 

It is not easy. 
But I want to continue to trust in you Jesus. 
I want to rely on you more and more. 
Please help me Lord.
Amen

Isaiah 42: Jesus promised

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen one in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out,
or raise his voice in the streets. This is what God the Lord says—
the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out,
who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it,
who gives breath to its people,
and life to those who walk on it: "I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness;
I will take hold of your hand.
I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.
Sing to the Lord a new song,
his praise from the ends of the earth,
you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it,
you islands, and all who live in them. (Isaiah 42:1, 2, 5-7, 10 NIV)

Wow I read this promise and see it as if it was written after Jesus came about what he did. God fulfilled his promise more than Israel could have expected.
I wonder if the prisoner is humans in the prison of their sin and flesh. I have always read it literally but maybe God just gave me a new understanding.

Thank you Jesus
Let us sing this new song of Christ Jesus the Lord
To his praise and glory forever!
Amen

Isaiah 41: we are Small but God loves us

Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob,
little Israel, do not fear,
for I myself will help you," declares the Lord,
your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 41:14 NIV)

This verse reminds me of my smallness and Gods bigness. I am but a fleeting mist in the grandeur and eternity of God. For all of Israel is little in Gods scale. I get so self centered and selfish. I see the world through my eyes and my perspective. But truly my life is short and my significance very minimal.

But what is more important is that despite my smallness God the mighty creator and king knows me and will help me and you! For that is the character of God: redeemer and a god of humility evidenced in Jesus humility to life and death taking on our form and our sin.

Thank you Lord, I want to rejoice and glorify you!
I am but a small worm and my life is short.
But God you are king
You Lord care for us
You God humble yourself to help us yourself.
Thank you lord
Amen

Isaiah 40: promise fulfilled in Jesus. Gods grandeur

Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
double for all her sins. A voice of one calling:
"In the wilderness prepare
the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
a highway for our God. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken." See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings. Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing. Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in. He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing. Why do you complain, Jacob?
Why do you say, Israel,
"My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God"? Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom. but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
(Isaiah 40:2, 3, 5, 10, 11, 16, 17, 21-23, 27, 28, 31 NIV)

Isaiah 40 is such a beautiful pictur of the sovereignty of God and yet the love prophecied in Jesus that this text foretells.

All the earth and people are nothing before God but fleeting whispers and yet he knows us and loves us enough to strengthen us and die for us to bring us into eternal life in him!
Thank you Lord.
Please increase my understanding of your greatness and sovereignty and humble me both by my smallness and your great love for mud who are unworthy.
Amen

Isaiah 39: Old testament confusing but . . .

At that time Marduk-Baladan son of Baladan king of Babylon sent Hezekiah letters and a gift, because he had heard of his illness and recovery. Hezekiah received the envoys gladly and showed them what was in his storehouses—the silver, the gold, the spices, the fine olive oil—his entire armory and everything found among his treasures. There was nothing in his palace or in all his kingdom that Hezekiah did not show them. The time will surely come when everything in your palace, and all that your predecessors have stored up until this day, will be carried off to Babylon. Nothing will be left, says the Lord. "The word of the Lord you have spoken is good," Hezekiah replied. For he thought, "There will be peace and security in my lifetime."
(Isaiah 39:1, 2, 6, 8 NIV)

I have been getting lost in reading Isaiah so I prayed for guidance. God showed me how the actions of the king of Judah hezekiah foretold in agreement with the prophecy of all the wealth of Judah and even Gods people being carried off to Babylon.

And yet even then Hezekiah cares only that it wouldn't happen in his lifetime all this trouble. He doesn't love his people or nation truly. God has graciously allowed a corrupt Judah and line of David to endure giving love to many generations and yet holding each person and generation also accountable for their sun.

Thank you God for your plans and redemption even though you sometimes youse pain and hardship. Help us to trust you and see your bigger picture.
Amen

Isaiah 25: God a help for the poor?

O Lord, you are my God;

I will exalt you; I will praise your name,

for you have done wonderful things,

plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

For you have made the city a heap,

the fortified city a ruin;

the foreigners' palace is a city no more;

it will never be rebuilt.

For you have been a stronghold to the poor,

a stronghold to the needy in his distress,

a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;

for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall,

like heat in a dry place.

You subdue the noise of the foreigners;

as heat by the shade of a cloud,

so the song of the ruthless is put down.
(Isaiah 25:1, 2, 4, 5 ESV)

God I struggle to see the ways you have been a stronghold or help to the poor? Does that mean the physically hungry and poor? When and how have you been that. God I am sorry but I struggle to see how you have helped? Is it spiritual, emotional or tangible?
God you say you have a heart for the poor. God I want to see that more. Increase my heart of love for the poor like yours. Amen