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PROMISES KEPT

 Isaiah 54:10 “‘For the mountains may be removed and the hills may shake, but My lovingkindness will not be removed from you, and My covenant of peace will not be shaken,’ says the Lord who has compassion on you.”

HE SAYS WHAT HE MEANS

If there is one thing that is for sure, the Lord keeps His word.  If He says it, you can take it to the bank.  And here in today’s verse He says something. Basically, he says, “The world may be falling apart around you, but I will always love you and keep My covenant with you.”  Wow! What a promise.

If you look around the world today, things are crazy.  There are floods, earthquakes, mudslides, volcano eruptions, tornadoes and hurricanes.  There are mass shootings at schools and churches.  There are attacks on police and gang violence.  But this verse still holds true.  God loves you.  If you are in covenant with Him through His Son, Jesus, there is nothing that can touch you that He doesn’t allow.

TEACHING MOMENT

This is a reassuring verse for children.  They want to feel safe.  The next time little Johnny or Susie is anxious about something, read them this verse. It should calm their spirits.  The very God of all creation loves them and always will.  The God who knows every soul knows them personally and wants them to know Him.

These are the truths our children need to know and understand.  There is no other person who can be totally trustworthy. People fail us.  But God never will.  When we trust His sovereignty in our lives, we can truly rest.  Teach your children that.

More importantly, show them that.  When you are up against a wall with no help in sight, trust Him.  Let your children watch you trust.  Let your children watch you praise Him in the valley.  Let your children watch you turn to the ONLY ONE who you can trust.

O Father, I trust You.  I know You will always be there for me.  I thank You for loving me enough to make me Your own.

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LIKE JESUS

 Isaiah 50:6 “I gave My back to those who strike Me, and My cheeks to those who pluck out the beard; I did not cover My face from humiliation and spitting.”

 HUMILIATED

 Who would willingly stand there and let someone beat them, pluck out their beard and spit on them?  Who?  Jesus! I know you are going to say, “Well, He had been arrested.  He didn’t have a choice.”  Oh really?! He was God.  He could have called ten thousand angels to defend Him. He could have just spoken and slain His oppressors.  Instead, He stood there and took it – for you and me.

I get upset when someone cuts me off in traffic.  How would I respond when spit upon?  How would I respond if someone pulled out my hair or beard?  How would I respond if someone lashed my back?  Would I be like Jesus?  Can I truly say I could handle the humiliation?  That is the question for all of us.

TEACHING MOMENT

How do you apply this verse to your children?  Teaching humility is hard.  You really just have to model it.  Now, I don’t mean you should let your children watch as you are beaten, spit on and have your hair plucked.  That would be silly (and painful).  I mean, when someone wrongs you in front of your children, remember this verse and respond as Jesus would.  Be humble. Be gentle.  Let the Lord be your strength.

I’ve said it a hundred times at least – you’ve got to live it out for your kids.  They learn best by watching you, not listening to you.  When they see you live it out in your own Christian walk they get a glimpse of what you mean.  Just telling them won’t cut it, especially when you are talking about humility. Be like Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but this is a hard lesson.  I don’t want to be humble.  I want to be proud.  I want to stand up for myself.  I have been spit on, and I did not like it.  But if the God of the universe could stand there and take this for me, I should be willing to suffer for Him.  Will you?

Suffering, Lord, is not on my agenda today.  But I am willing to do whatever You ask of me. I know that is a dangerous statement, but today I mean it.

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NUMERO UNO

 Isaiah 47:10 “‘You felt secure in your wickedness and said, “No one sees me.” Your wisdom and your knowledge, they have deluded you; for you have said in your heart, “I am, and there is no one besides me.”’”

THERE IS A GOD AND YOU AREN’T HIM

 Babylon had been used by God to discipline Israel, but it went to their heads. In this chapter, God is speaking through Isaiah to tell the people of Babylon they have gone too far.  They had started believing there was NO power larger than them.  They were invincible – or so they thought.

No one is invincible.  No one is dispensable.  We can all be replaced.  God wants to use us to accomplish His work here on earth.  In fact, He desires that.  But we can never begin to think that God will fail without us.  He is the One in charge.  HE is the One who empowers and strengthens us to do the work.

TEACHING MOMENT

Two and three-year-old children go through that stage when they want to do everything for themselves.  “Me do it!” “No, me do it!”  We want them to learn to do things on their own.  But there are some things they just can’t do yet. Letting them try and fail is hard. And it takes time.  The best way for them to learn, however, is by doing.

God does the same thing with us.  He will not stop us from trying to do it on our own.  Just like our two-year-old, we are stubborn and rebellious.  We are basically saying to God, “No, me do it!” The next time your little one says that, be reminded of this.  We adults are doing the same thing.

Have you done that lately?  Have you determined to do something on your own?  Have you tried to open a door that God has either not opened yet or has closed? Be very careful.  God may just let you open it to show you that He knows best. Let Him be God.  He’s had a lot of practice at it.  LOL.

Father, I recognize Your deity.  I know You are God and I’m not.  Help me trust You and Your timing for my life.

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FOOLISH TALK

 Isaiah 32:6a “For a fool speaks nonsense, and his heart inclines toward wickedness:”

 A WICKED INCLINE

 In Chattanooga, TN there is the Incline Railway, the steepest passenger railway in the world.  It has been in operation since 1895 and goes up Lookout Mountain about 1 mile.  It is controlled by huge cables attached to two 100 horsepower winches.  It is a steep and scary incline but is totally under control – unlike the fool’s mouth.

Isaiah says in today’s verse that not only does the fool speak nonsense, but that his heart inclines toward wickedness.  A fool is a fool is a fool.  And his foolishness is not limited to his speech.  His actions speak louder than words.  Speaking nonsense is bad enough, but doing wicked things just reveals how foolish one is.

TEACHING MOMENT

 Kids love silly talk.  There is nothing wrong with being silly.  Heck, I am silly a lot of the time.  Being silly and being foolish are not the same thing.  Being silly may get you in trouble if you are doing it at the wrong time (like I did many times in school), but being foolish will lead to wickedness, according to Isaiah.

So what is foolishness?  What is wickedness?  Anything that goes against God’s Word.  Any action, any speech, any deed that does not agree with the Word of God can lead to wickedness and foolishness.  That’s what we guard our children against.  We model the behavior that imitates God’s Word so our children will learn how to live their lives.

Have you spoken foolishness lately? If so, confess.  Have you been inclined towards wickedness in your thought life?  Confess! We must stay clean in our heart to hear from God.  As believers, all our sins are forgiven, but we still need to confess them to our Lord and strive to live our lives pleasing to Him.

Cleanse my mind and heart today, Lord.  Help me to guard my lips from foolish words.  Use Your Spirit to control my tongue so I will not speak wicked or unkind things about others.

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