Category: His Ways

Isaiah 55:10-13 NIV
¹⁰ As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
¹¹ so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
¹² You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
¹³ Instead of the thornbush will grow the juniper,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD’s renown,
for an everlasting sign,
that will endure forever.”

“The Lord’s ways, thoughts, purpose, plans for us are like these joyous mountains, hills, trees, and fields. They are bursting with life, with joy, with noise, with beauty! This is imagery of salvation, of love, of New Creation rest. The imagery of thornbushes turning into junipers, and briers into myrtles. You want junipers, myrtles, and other beautiful trees and bushes that are inviting, fruitful, lush, lovely. Repentance is inviting his loving hand to beautify, cleanse, wash, and renew us.” (P. Nate’s Message)

Prayer: Lord, may you have your way in my heart. Immerse me in your ways today. Grow in me the “junipers and myrtles.” In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s sing in thanksgiving to the Lord to “You Keep Your Promises” by Charity Gayle (click here).

-LB

 

Let’s read aloud together the following passage

Psalm 103:13-17 NIV
¹³  As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
¹⁵ The life of mortals is like grass,
they flourish like a flower of the field;
¹⁶ the wind blows over it and it is gone,
and its place remembers it no more.
¹⁷ But from everlasting to everlasting
the LORD’s love is with those who fear him,
and his righteousness with their children’s children
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

God doesn’t just come for a single-moment fix, but his love is forever. Today, let’s spend some time reflecting on the goodness of God in our lives, in our families, in our churches, the people he sent to us to share the good news, the visions and dreams he answered, the healings that have occurred, and more. Who are we that God would notice us? But he chose us before the creation of the world and put us in this body of Christ, to knit us together so that we can run this race as his people.

Prayer: Lord, you are so good to me. You are my healer, my redeemer, my Lord and King. Would you continue to reveal your heart to us as we go out so that your Kingdom would come soon! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “From Everlasting” by Sovereign Grace Ministries (click here)

-LB

Dane Ortlund describes the divine disposition, our view of God’s ways, according to Isaiah 55, like a photo negative, kind of making out what it is with hints and shapes, but not the full picture.

Photo Negative (left side), actual picture (right side)

“He isn’t like you. Even the most intense of human love is but the faintest echo of heaven’s cascading abundance. His heartful thoughts for you outstrip what you can conceive. He intends to restore you into the radiant resplendence for which you were created.” (Dane Ortlund, Gentle and Lowly, 155-162)

Let’s read aloud together the following passage about God’s ways in Psalm 103

Psalm 103:8-12 NIV
⁸ The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Prayer: Lord, consume me with your love today. Thank you that I am found by you. You have never taken your eyes off me. In Jesus’ name, amen.

As we worship to the song “Fierce” by Jesus Culture, let’s be overwhelmed by God’s love (click here)

-LB

Let’s read aloud together the following passage

Isaiah 55:1-3 NIV
“Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
² Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and you will delight in the richest of fare.
³ Give ear and come to me;
listen, that you may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

When we realize how sin separates us from God, we are invited into repentance. In the gospel of Luke, Jesus sees Zacchaeus the tax collector, and says he must come to his house, and everyone is surprised.  Zacchaeus’ response to Jesus’ invitation into the kingdom was something so much better than his current state, that in verse 8 he says,

“Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

As we turn from our ways to the Lord’s way, God has something exciting and better, so let salvation come!

Prayer: Lord, I hear you calling my name. I lay my life at your feet, I want to be in your house with you. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “Holding Nothing Back” by Jesus Culture (click here)

-LB

Let’s read aloud together the following passage:

Jeremiah 29:11-14a NIV
 ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity.

Matthew 11:28-29 NIV
²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 

We can draw near to the Lord today and seek him, confident we will find him and walk with him. The Lord is inviting us into the new creation life that renews our minds, sets us free, and fills us with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Lord, I come to you today. You are my heavenly Father, you love me, you know me and I trust my life fully in your hands today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Let’s worship to the song “Pursue Me” by Worship Central (click here)

-LB