Feb 28

2 Chronicles 29:34-35 NASB

But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was completed and until the other priests had consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests. There were also many burnt offerings with the fat of the peace offerings and with the libations for the burnt offerings. Thus the service of the house of the Lord was established again.

when the people offered sacrifices and offering to the Lord they offered generously and joyfully and with thanksgiving. the Lord is established upon the offering that comes from our hearts to worship Him. may I offer Him generously without restraint so that He will be glorified especially in the area of my time for people.

Feb 27

2 Kings 18:5-8 NASB

He trusted in the Lord , the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the Lord ; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the Lord had commanded Moses. And the Lord was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

Hezekiah trusted the Lord and held tightly to His commandments and thus the Lord was with Him. as such he was blessed. he did not serve other nations but triumphed over them. when we trust and obey the Lord and hold on to Him tightly as our lifeline,  we will not need to trust in self made things and will instead receive His victory and blessing. I have to learn to trust in the Lord fully and not trust in my own strength.

Feb 26

Isaiah 26:3 NASB

"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.

those who put their trust in You will be kept in perfect peace. we will have peace when we put our trust in the Lord and set our minds on Him. let me fix my mind on the Lord and when I worry may I first check where or in what am I putting my trust in and be drwan back to God.

Feb 25

Isaiah 25:8-9 NASB

He will swallow up death for all time, And the Lord God will wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the reproach of His people from all the earth; For the Lord has spoken. And it will be said in that day, "Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation."

the Lord will redeem His people and He has spoken so it is a truth. and we can wait in that hope of glory of when He returns. our guilt shame and disappointment will all be wiped away as the Lord has promised so we know we can live a life looking towards the day when we ultimately return into his arms and that spurs me on to live in humble expectation as I face the daily struggles of life.

Feb 24

Isaiah 24:13-14 NASB

For thus it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, As the shaking of an olive tree, As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over. They raise their voices, they shout for joy; They cry out from the west concerning the majesty of the Lord.

even in the midst of great darkness over the earth, there are those who shout out and declare His majesty. when there is darkness over situations in our lives, we must still choose to declare His majesty and sovereignty over tbe situation.

Feb 23

Isaiah 22:8, 11 NASB

And He removed the defense of Judah. In that day you depended on the weapons of the house of the forest... And you made a reservoir between the two walls For the waters of the old pool. But you did not depend on Him who made it, Nor did you take into consideration Him who planned it long ago.

when Judah was invaded, the people depended on their own strength might and abilities but they did not depend on the Lord. when we face trials what is our respond? to depend on our own wisdom and strength or depend on the almighty God who has everything in His control? may my first response be to call out upon His name ane depend on Him.

Feb 22

Isaiah 20:2 NASB

at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go and loosen the sackcloth from your hips and take your shoes off your feet." And he did so, going naked and barefoot.

Isaiah a prophet of the Lord went naked and barefoot for 3 years in obedience to what the Lord spoke to him. when the Lord speaks to us do we consider what He says as more important or consider our 'face' as something more important? for me going naked means being genuine with a colleague who is less well liked and really be a friend to him and meet his needs.

Feb 21

Isaiah 19:22 NASB

The Lord will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the Lord , and He will respond to them and will heal them.

the Lord is merciful where in His mercy He disciplines us so that we may turn back to Him and He will respond to us to heal us of our brokenness. when I face discipline it is always an opportunity for reconciliation and healing as I turn away from rebellion and towards Him.

Feb 20

Isaiah 17:10 NASB

For you have forgotten the God of your salvation And have not remembered the rock of your refuge. Therefore you plant delightful plants And set them with vine slips of a strange god.

the Israelites have forgotten the God who brought them out of Egypt and have turned to other gods. falling out of faith comes easily as we put our trust in attractive things in this world like our careers, our own abilities or wealth. but the result of that is we will not reap the eternal things. let me come before the cross and the God of my salvation every day and every moment and not place my trust in false gods.

Feb 19

Isaiah 16:6, 12 NASB

We have heard of the pride of Moab, an excessive pride; Even of his arrogance, pride, and fury; His idle boasts are false... So it will come about when Moab presents himself, When he wearies himself upon his high place And comes to his sanctuary to pray, That he will not prevail.

the pride of Moab cause his ways not to prevail against the Lord. the proud will not be able to stand before our God. let me come humbly before Him always and seek Him in all that I do not just being preoccupied with my plans and purposes always asking in my heart 'where is His spirit leading me right now? '.

Feb 18

Isaiah 14:27 NASB

For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?"

the plans of the Lord cannot be frustrated and will come to past. we can be confident that whatever plans the Lord reveals to us or in His word it will bear fruition. I can depend on Him to do what He has promised of my life.

Feb 17

Isaiah 13:6-7 NASB

Wail, for the day of the Lord is near! It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore all hands will fall limp, And every man's heart will melt.

when the Lord appears before sinners to destroy they will fall at His feet and we will have no words to defend but will be full of fear. the Lord in His glory is Holy and mighty and there is no way we can stand in His presence except through the blood of Jesus. may I come before Him each day to the cross and be covered in His blood and righteousness.

Feb 16

2 Kings 17:14-16 NASB
However, they did not listen, but stiffened their neck like their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God. They rejected His statutes and His covenant which He made with their fathers and His warnings with which He warned them. And they followed vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the Lord had commanded them not to do like them. They forsook all the commandments of the Lord their God and made for themselves molten images, even two calves, and made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal.

the israelites rebelled against the Lord and were stubborn in their sinful ways. they did not follow the ways of the Lord but chose the ways of the world. when we are proud and stubborn we will not choose to listen to God but to follow our own ways. may I walk humbly and choose to listen to the commands of the Lord.

Feb 15

Michah 7:18-20 NASB

Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity And passes over the rebellious act of the remnant of His possession? He does not retain His anger forever, Because He delights in unchanging love. He will again have compassion on us; He will tread our iniquities under foot. Yes, You will cast all their sins Into the depths of the sea. You will give truth to Jacob And unchanging love to Abraham, Which You swore to our forefathers From the days of old.

the Lord is merciful and will remember our sins no more. we can confidently come before Him when we come to seek His loving mercy and He will deposit His truth into our lives. with knowledge of such an unchanging love I want to live a righteous life that pleases my Lord knowing He has forgiven my iniquities and will forgive me when I fall.

Feb 14

Michah 6:8 NASB

He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

the Lord require of us the following: doing what is good and right, being merciful and humble. to live for the Lord we need to constantly check our lives in this 3 areas and ask of His grace to be righteous even when it is tempting to follow the world's standard, always forgive and show love and putting others before ourselves.

Feb 13

Michah 1:2 NASB

Hear, O peoples, all of you; Listen, O earth and all it contains, And let the Lord God be a witness against you, The Lord from His holy temple.

the Lord before we brings about His punishment always warns israel and her people about what was to happen. God is a god of grace and He even extends His warning first to people in the purpose of turning them away from their rebellion. may I heed the warnings in the word of the Lord and live out a life of wisdom before Him.

Feb 12

Isaiah 12:2 NASB

"Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; For the Lord God is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation."

when we trust and fear the Lord we will not fear the things of this world and we can ultimately find strength in Him. I need to trust in Him fully and fear Him only even if that means I have to let go of the ways I am used to.

Feb 11

Isaiah 11:3 NASB

And He will delight in the fear of the Lord , And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear;

the fear of the Lord will affect how we judge things through what we see and hear. we must go beyond the natural to being guided by His spirit in the fear of the Lord. I must constantly go back to depend on the spirit and ask for the fear of the Lord (not fear of men) to guide me in what I think, say and do.

Feb 10

Isaiah 10:20 NASB

Now in that day the remnant of Israel, and those of the house of Jacob who have escaped, will never again rely on the one who struck them, but will truly rely on the Lord , the Holy One of Israel.

Isaiah prophesies on the destruction and downfall of Israel and at the end of it the promise is that there will be a remnent that will depend on the Lord almighty. the Lord allowed Israel to go through all the suffering is to bring about His good and perfect plan of redemption for His nation and get them to rely on Him only. the Lord's plan is for our good and we have to trust in Him as it is to disciple us and train us in our walk with the Lord.

Feb 9

Isaiah 9:7 NASB

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish this.

the Lord's kingdom of peace will be established and this is His desire which He will do. we can be sure that God's kingdom will one day be fully established and it is not of our doing but that the Lord will accomplish it. so we must trust His word and live out our lives with His kingdom in us by upholding justice and righteousness in wherever we are.

Feb 8

Isaiah 8:12-13 NASB

"You are not to say, ' It is a conspiracy!' In regard to all that this people call a conspiracy, And you are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. "It is the Lord of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, And He shall be your dread.

we should not fear what the world fears but fear the Lord God almighty for He is holy. we must have a reverence for our Lord and not put our trust in anything less than on Him and His character. I worry about work, life and even ministry but I should instead fear the Lord and fix my eyes on Him amd trust Him always.

Feb 7

Isaiah 7:7 NASB

thus says the Lord God : "It shall not stand nor shall it come to pass.

the Lord's word is final and whatever He says He will do and it will happen. we can trust God's word fully because He is trustworthy. I need not doubt that I am His child and He loves me and that I can put my full trust in His good will for my life. I must trust in His everlasting word and not the judgements people make of me.

Feb 6

Isaiah 6:3 NASB

And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."

our Lord is Holy and when we view His creation we witness His splendor and glory. may I enjoy and appreciate the glory of the Lord when I look at the works of His hands and the nature around me so that I am filled with awe and wonder at Him.

Feb 5

Isaiah 5:7 NASB

For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress.

the Lord cultivated Israel and did what was necessary for her to be fruitful. yet they were found wanting and there were no fruits of righteousness and peace. the Lord has given us His word and His Holy Spirit to help us live out a transformed life but when the Lord looks for me His child will there be justice and righteousness? I have to examine my actions through the Holy Spirit which will reveal the truth in my life.

Feb 4

Isaiah 4:4 NASB

When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and purged the bloodshed of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning,

His spirit of judgement is not to punish us but to cleanse us from our sins. it is by grace that we can receive His discipline. the Lord never lets us go yet always seeks to redeem us and we must be thankful and hold on to Him in times when we receive discipline.

Feb 3

Isaiah 3:10-11 NASB

Say to the righteous that it will go well with them,  For they will eat the fruit of their actions. Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him,  For what he deserves will be done to him.

the righteous will reap the fruits of his righteousness and similarly the wicked will receive his reward of suffering. in the perfect will and plan of God ultimately His justice will prevail. so we must continue to sow the seeds of righteousness and trust the Lord in His sovereignty. may I continue to pursue what is right and good whether it is inconvenient or tough. especially speaking out for righteousness and acting in love at all times.

Feb 2

Isaiah 2:12-17 NASB

For the Lord of hosts will have a day of reckoning  Against everyone who is proud and lofty And against everyone who is lifted up, That he may be abased. And it will be against all the cedars of Lebanon that are lofty and lifted up, Against all the oaks of Bashan, Against all the lofty mountains, Against all the hills that are lifted up, Against every high tower, Against every fortified wall, Against all the ships of Tarshish And against all the beautiful craft. The pride of man will be humbled And the loftiness of men will be abased; And the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,

there will be a day of reckoning against every high and lofty thing that men put their faith in that is not of the Lord and nothing will stand up against His might and splendor. the Lord is our solid rock in whom we can place our faith in and there is no other eternal security we can find other than in Him. may I surrender every idol that is in my life especially my security in finance and the need to know and be in control.

1 Feb

Isaiah 1:14-17 NASB

"I hate your new moon festivals and your appointed feasts, They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. "So when you spread out your hands in prayer,  I will hide My eyes from you; Yes, even though you multiply prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood. "Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Reprove the ruthless, Defend the orphan, Plead for the widow.

the Lord hates our religiosity. it is a burden to Him and He will hide His face from us even when we pray religiously. we must practice bring true disciples of Christ by cleansing ourselves from sin, stop going against His ways and start living out a life of love for people. especially those who are disadvantaged or marginalised. am I truly living out a life of love that I preach? may the Lord open my eyes to those in need around me and seek justice by standing up for what is right and good.