We Grieve, but not without Hope (1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18) Pause & Reflect 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.
15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Oh, raise your head for Love is passing by Come to Jesus, Come to Jesus Come to Jesus and live Now your burden's lifted, And carried far away And precious blood has washed away the stain So, sing to Jesus, Sing to Jesus Sing to Jesus and live And like a newborn baby, Don't be afraid to crawl And remember when you walk sometimes we fall So, fall on Jesus, Fall on Jesus Fall on Jesus and live Sometimes the way is lonely, And steep and filled with pain So if your sky is dark and pours the rain Then cry to Jesus, Cry to Jesus Cry to Jesus and live Oh and when the love spills over, And music fills the night And when you can't contain your joy inside Then dance for Jesus, Dance for Jesus Dance for Jesus and live With your final heartbeat, Kiss the world goodbye Then go in peace, and laugh on Glory's side And fly to Jesus, Fly to Jesus Fly to Jesus and live The central truth of this word was – You are informed today! (1) We grieve, but not without hope (2) Jesus is alive, and so are those asleep in Him (3) The Lord Jesus is coming again to bring those asleep and those awake to meet Him together in the air (4) Encourage one another with these words – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Apply & Be Doers of the Word (1) Jesus says, “Everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (JOHN 11:26). We will not taste death, but keep on living with the Lord at all times. Make plans for that. Talk about that with your family and friends. Just like you will plan for retirement, or write out a will to whom your possessions will be inherited, or not hesitate to discuss with your doctor about your aging health condition, or down-size your cluttered items to make life simplier, or even consider end-of-earthly life issues, plan out and talk about eternal life with Jesus to your family and friends. Even in eternity, it may be a long time before we realize that we’ve fallen asleep and passed into glory! The pleasure of being with our risen LORD will be so great that even the thought of our earthly lives may not pass our minds very often. So before eternity arrives, make sure you have a plan in how you are preparing for that coming eternal life with Jesus and His people. A plan involves how you spend the time, possessions, investments, church etc. all things (however small or great) that God entrusted to you. A plan involves how to live now in light of the eternal future with Jesus. (2) Don’t make too much of your grief! Grieve, but not without hope. Keep your tears momentary. Keep sorrow at a distance. Bring what grieves you daily to Jesus on prayerful knees. Write-out what is grieving you on a notepad, and prayerfully speak against each one in the power of Jesus’ name. Renew your mind away from grief and onto the gladness in Jesus. Release it to Jesus. Do not carry its weight any longer. Do not seek excessive attention for others and their sorrow for you. Seek only the attention of your heavenly Father, who sees you and lifts you up in due time. (3) Take out all misinformation and fake news that infiltrates your day through leisure, devices, screens, and shows. Start each day informed correctly and rightly with Scripture. Narrow what enters the attention of your mind and focused energy. Narrow it on information from the foundation of His Word. Yet do not let it remain solely information. Make use of it as wisdom from God. Speak against the misinformation and news of the world with the good news and informed word from the Lord. Look at the world around you through the lens of holy Scripture, the lens of Christ. Discern what is on His heart and what is not. (4) This weekend, encourage four different people with an encouragement from Jesus’ resurrection. Greet them with, “He lives!” instead of a “Hello!” and “He has risen!” instead of a “Goodbye!” Don’t just give fake complements, but speak God’s promises over their lives (ex. “God has promised you…. His eternal life, His joy… in His only Son”) and see the ways it transforms your hope in Christ. Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Aiden Song - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Jeff Park - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Philip Oh - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - Doug Kang - James Han - Winnie Kim - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Alex Koh (Houston, postgraduate dentistry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jae Jung (Boston, MA) - Hanbit Kang (Austin)
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Silent, yet still Sovereign (ISAIAH 53:7-9) Pause & Reflect 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
The central truth of this word was – In the silence, remember He’s still sovereign! Be still, and know that He is God (PSALM 46:10). Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him (PSALM 37:7). Learn from the silent mouth of Jesus, who did not speak back at His accusers, but submitted Himself to death like a lamb led to the slaughter, even death on a cross! Learn from the silent life of Jesus, who spent His days quietly preparing for His ministry in the obscurity of Nazareth, all to have His short life cut off from the living for the sins of His people. Learn from the silenced grave of Jesus, where His body lay among all who die, so that they might never die but pass through death into life with Him. Aspire the silence and quietness of Jesus in your spirit, which is very precious in God’s sight (1 PETER 3:4). In the silence, no one can take anything from you, for Jesus has already given His life all for you (JOHN 10:18). In the silence, all does not need to make sense, for life is not measured by our length or accomplishments – all those are to be cut off one day – but by Jesus whom we abide in forever. In the silence, know the grave is just a temporary station before the train of resurrection sweeps us into immortality with Jesus! Be still and know Him! – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Jeff Park - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Philip Oh - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - Doug Kang - James Han - Winnie Kim - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jae Jung (Boston, MA) - Hanbit Kang (Austin) With His Wounds We are Healed (ISAIAH 53:4-6) Pause & Reflect 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
The central truth of this word was – In order to be healed, we need to know what has made us sick. Jesus healed many who were sick – the blind, the deaf, the lame, and even the dead. Yet their healing did not last when met with death – Lazarus, who was raised, had to die twice! Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance” (LUKE 5:31-32). The sick acknowledge their sinfulness. The sick desire their need for the physician. Anyone can desire healing, but not everyone desires the Great Physician. Jesus shows us that desiring Him is the only path to be healed eternally. Our wounds weigh heavy in this life. Yet the scars of Jesus tell us that they will heal one day and speak of His deliverance, love, and glory through us! Our wounds teach us to keep looking at His wounds, for He was pierced for our sins and by our sins. His wounds keep us from going astray from His way. His wounds declare that all wounds were laid upon His Son. His wounds give hope for His day, when all will say, “we are healed.” – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Jeff Park - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Philip Oh - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - Doug Kang - James Han - Winnie Kim - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jae Jung (Boston, MA) - Hanbit Kang (Austin) Behold, My Exalted Servant (ISAIAH 52:13-15) Pause & Reflect 13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.
14 As many were astonished at you-- his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind--
15 so shall he sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand.
The central truth of this word was – Are you beholding this Servant and exalting in His wisdom, appearance, and victory over all of life? Jesus is not your slave to serve your selfish purposes. He is King and LORD, serving God the Father’s purpose to cleanse you and draw near to you. So Jesus drew near by wearing the full vulnerability of frail humanity, wearing the fullness of our sin and shame in our place before the wrath of God the Father against all ungodliness throughout the ages. By His actions of wisdom to draw near to our lowly place, the Father exalted Him to the highest place. Now the scars of Jesus forever retained in His body will forever speak of how our suffering Savior loved us to the end. So behold, the LORD’s Servant! Let Him be high and lifted up! Let His wisdom indwell you! Let His scars heal you! Let His cleansing flow touch you! Let His Word cause you to see, to understand what has been spoken of our Servant-King! – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Holy Spirit Moment & Group Prayer Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load. (GALATIANS 6:2-5) For the body does not consist of one member but of many... The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 CORINTHIANS 12:14, 21-27) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Jeff Park - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Philip Oh - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - Doug Kang - James Han - Winnie Kim - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jae Jung (Boston, MA) - Hanbit Kang (Austin) How Beautiful are the Feet that bring Good News (ISAIAH 52:7-12) Pause & Reflect 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” 8 The voice of your watchmen—they lift up their voice; together they sing for joy; for eye to eye they see the return of the Lord to Zion.
9 Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem, for the Lord has comforted his people; he has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God.
11 Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord. 12 For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.
The central truth of this word was – If you have listened up, wakened up, sobered up, drunken up the filling of His Spirit, dressed up with His holy garments – now it’s time to move your beautiful feet! The beautiful news of God’s reign in Jesus Christ bringing final peace, deliverance, and joy is carried on your feet and indwelling your heart! His news transforms the dirtiest of feet into the most beautiful of them. He has readied your feet to be swift and active, exposing the holy arm of the LORD’s work. He has cleansed your feet to depart from unclean things, walking in step with His Word and Spirit. What’s on your feet? Put on the shoes of the gospel’s peace, making you ready to move with your Lord. Receive the commission of Jesus – be sent out, for how will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How are they to believe whom they have never heard? How are they to hear without someone preaching? How are they to preach unless they are sent? So go with your beautiful feet! Preach His beautiful news! Holy Spirit Moment Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) - Jeong’s (Jake, Amanda) - Lee’s (Sam, Heidi) - Deborah Ko - Kristen Lee - Patrick Liu - Brian Pak - Samuel Park - Trey Reynolds - Tyler Lee - Edward Jeon - Jeff Park - Eunice Kim (UT Austin) - Jedidiah Lim (Louisiana) - Philip Oh - Soo Nam (Dallas Police) - Hana Lee - Rachel Ko (preschool assistant) - Hanna Kang - Johann Lee - Eugene Hong - JR Reynolds - Brian Joo - Doug Kang - James Han - Winnie Kim - Stacy Hong - David An - Daniel An - Alice Jeon - Ashley Min (UTD) - Mike Choi (drummer, Jeff’s cousin) - Eric Lee (UTD) - Lisa Jeon - Brian Yoon - Jennifer Chung (UTA) - June Kim (TWU) - Hannah Kim (UT Austin) - Hogan Lee (TCU) - Steven Kwon (A&M) - Benny Son (UT Austin) - Esther Ko (UT Austin) - Daniel Lee (UT Austin) - Aaron Lee (Houston, postgraduate optometry) - Matthew Ahn (UT Austin) - Yura Ahn (UT Austin) - Katie Han (New York) - Emily Han (Austin) - Jae Jung (Boston, MA) - Hanbit Kang (Austin) Put on Your Beautiful Garments (ISAIAH 52:1-6) Pause & Reflect 1 Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. 2 Shake yourself from the dust and arise; be seated, O Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion.
3 For thus says the Lord: “You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money.” 4 For thus says the Lord God: “My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them for nothing. 5 Now therefore what have I here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail,” declares the Lord, “and continually all the day my name is despised.
6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.”
The central truth of this word was – Listen up! Wake up! Sober up! Dress up! Wear your beautiful garments, church! As God’s people then were a kingdom of priests – beginning with the tribe of Levi set apart as the priesthood of the nation – these special garments (Exodus 28; Leviticus 8) to display the holiness of God is now ours in Jesus Christ! He calls us all – not just a special tribe – to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to the LORD as His royal, chosen, and holy people, calling His people out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:5-10). We have garments more beautiful than the priests of Israel. We have the Designer’s holy fabric, never staining with time and wear. We have a style that never goes out-of-fashion in the world. We can wear this for all seasons – a garment larger than ourselves or our own will! It’s time to dress up, church! – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Holy Spirit Moment Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Awake, Awake, O Arm of the LORD! (ISAIAH 51:9-16) Pause & Reflect 9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the dragon? 10 Was it not you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over? 11 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
12 “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, 13 and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor? 14 He who is bowed down shall speedily be released; he shall not die and go down to the pit, neither shall his bread be lacking.
15 I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the Lord of hosts is his name. 16 And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth, and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’”
The central truth of this word was – Will each new morning of 2024 awaken you to more of His strong arm at work in your life? Let us set our alarms aright – not for God to wake up to our needs, but for us to wake up to His ways. Call upon the LORD’s strength which He is working in you and has worked for you, even from the days of His overwhelming power over Pharaoh’s pride in ancient Egypt, to the way He made by drying up the sea for the redeemed to pass over. Stop snoozing the alarm of His Word ringing to get your attention. Snoozing strengthens forgetting. Do not forget Your Creator who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth! He remains as Your promised Comforter and Deliverer from all oppression! His arm destroys the fear of anything in fallen creation. When we bow down to Creator and not creation, the LORD stirs us up to be freed from our slumber with the roar of His Word indwelling us. Awake, O soul, for your LORD God is not asleep! – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Holy Spirit Moment Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7)
Listen to Me! Look to the Rock! (ISAIAH 51) 1.[v.1-3] Look Back: “Listen to me… Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you” 2.[v.4-6] Look Up: A.[v.4-5] to My Righteousness: “Give attention to me… My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out” B.[v.6] to the Vanishing Heavens: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens… for the heavens vanish like smoke” 3.[v.7-8] Look Out: “Listen to me, you who know righteousness… fear not the reproach of man” Listen to Me! Look to the Rock! (ISAIAH 51:1-8) Pause & Reflect 1 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord: look to the rock from which you were hewn, and to the quarry from which you were dug. 2 Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you; for he was but one when I called him, that I might bless him and multiply him. 3 For the Lord comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.
4 “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples. 5 My righteousness draws near, my salvation has gone out, and my arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands hope for me, and for my arm they wait. 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed.
7 “Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. 8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations.”
The central truth of this word was – As the new year 2024 is in full swing, let us hear from the LORD clearly, learning to strengthen our listening of His Word and the guide of His holy Spirit in our lives. To listen to Him is to look at Him. God calls us to turn our ears to listen and our eyes to see our everlasting Rock from which we were cut-out, the quarry from which we were dug-up. We press forward into 2024 by pressing back on our ears so prone to not hear, our eyes so prone to wander, from the unchanging Rock in ever-changing new time. Look back to Abraham, Sarah, and all the flawed men and women of faith that listened to the LORD rather than the counsel of man (Hebrews 11). Look up to His righteousness and salvation for you. Give attention to what cannot vanish but lasts forever – His law in our hearts. Look out to press on, fearlessly listening to His Word, obeying Him above all else. May Jesus say of us, “Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear” (Matthew 13:16). – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Holy Spirit Moment Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray for one another. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) I Have Set My Face like a Flint (ISAIAH 50:7-11) Pause & Reflect 7 But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
8 He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. 9 Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
10 Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. 11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the light of your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment.
The central truth of this word was – Into the new year 2024, where will your face be set? Jesus set His face resolutely to go to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51), to bear your sins in His body at the cross, for the joy of bringing you to God. Like an immovable flint rock, nothing can turn the face of Jesus away from you. Like a flint rock that cannot perish, the face of Jesus did not grow old, wrinkly, and defeated. Instead, He conquered His perishable enemies and remained unblemished as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Like flint rock that shines and ignites real fire, Jesus’ face speaks the light of God’s words that carries us through the darkness. Won’t you turn your face to His face more and more this new year? Fear Him. Walk courageously into your present darkness, for Your Rock like a flint sees you, goes before you, and is the light to carry you through. – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Holy Spirit Moment Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) Wait for Me (Isaiah 49:19-26) 1.[v.19-21] Then you will say: “The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears… Then you will say in your heart…” 1A.[v.19-20] Our narrow minds: “surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants… make room for me to dwell in” 1B.[v.21] His Amazing Answer: “Who has borne me these?... Who has brought up these?... From where have these come? 2.[v.22-23] Then you shall not be put to shame: “they shall bow down to you” 3.[v.24-26] Then all flesh shall know: “that I am the LORD you Savior” Wait for Me (ISAIAH 49:19-26) Pause & Reflect
19 “Surely your waste and your desolate places and your devastated land—surely now you will be too narrow for your inhabitants, and those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20 The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: ‘The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.’ 21 Then you will say in your heart: ‘Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?’”
22 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders. 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.”
24 Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the captives of a tyrant be rescued? 25 For thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken, and the prey of the tyrant be rescued, for I will contend with those who contend with you, and I will save your children. 26 I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh, and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine. Then all flesh shall know that I am the Lord your Savior, and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.”
The central truth of this word was – In our waiting for the LORD, surely the LORD is waiting on us too. He grants us time to wait now to realign our hope for tomorrow. Just as Good Friday didn’t turn into Easter Sunday at once, we learn to wait, to stay awake to how He is preparing us from Friday to Sunday. The people had forgotten and forsaken the LORD, so they were not ready to hope nor receive His covenant promise of restoration. Yet that time would come and has come in Jesus Christ, who is God’s signal for His people. Let us stop living in the flesh, in this predator-prey world of the flesh. Let us not consume each other or our circumstances, but have compassion on each other and what the sovereign LORD does in giving and taking away. As we wait together for the living hope to come, being prepared to meet our risen Lord at His return, may all our flesh be redeemed to say, “Come, Lord Jesus, come!” (Revelation 22:20). – *How has the LORD spoken to you today through this? Holy Spirit Moment Take a moment to invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, and pray. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18) …do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (PHILIPPIANS 4:6-7) |
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