The Keys are in Your Hands

 Scripture:

““At that time I will summon my servant Eliakim, son of Hilkiah. I will put your robe on him, tie your belt around him, and transfer your authority to him. He will become a protector of the residents of Jerusalem and of the people of Judah. I will place the key to the house of David on his shoulder. When he opens the door, no one can close it; when he closes the door, no one can open it.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭22‬:‭20‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

In this passage, God says that He was going to summon Eliakim. Isaiah was to put his robe on him, tie his belt around him, and transfer authority to him. Then God says He will place a key on his shoulder of the house of David. When he opens the door, no one can close it and when He closes a door, no one can open it. Authority opens and closes doors.

Application:

When God anoints a person and gives them authority, He backs it up with open and closed doors. Keys are small, yet powerful because they can open large doors and gates. As a man of God, I must realize that God has put some keys in my hands. I must open and close the doors that He is leading me to open and close. Sometimes I am waiting for an open door, but the Lord is saying, “I have already given you the keys.” Using the keys and opening the doors is on us. There are times when God will open the doors and there are times when the keys are in our hands and we must open the doors.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for sharing this with me today. Help me to use the authority You have given me. Help me to take authority to open and close doors. Help me to lead well in this generation. Show me the way forward in every situation, then help me step into the doorway because I already have the keys.

Your Son,

Jeff

God’s Justice and Mercy

 Scripture:

“The LORD will reveal himself to the Egyptians, and they will acknowledge the LORD’s authority at that time. They will present sacrifices and offerings; they will make vows to the LORD and fulfill them. The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the LORD and he will listen to their prayers and heal them.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭19‬:‭21‬-‭22‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God speaks here about the Egyptians. It was the Egyptians that enslaved God’s people for 400 years, yet God still loves them and reaches out to them. He sent the plagues upon them in the past, the Lord reaches out to bless them. Here it tells us that Egypt will acknowledge the Lord’s authority and that the Lord would strike them, then heal them, then they would turn to Him.

Application:

Just as God deals with the Egyptians in this passage, He faithfully loves His people. His love is always reaching out to a people that have turned from Him many times and worshiped other gods. In this passage it says that God strikes, them, then heals them. God loves us and wants what it best for our lives, but we must pursue Him. When we turn to God, He listens and answers our prayers. Our place is to humble ourselves before Him. He then will listen to our prayers and heal us.

Prayer:

Father, You are amazing and I worship You! Help me to live a life that follows You completely. Teach me to walk in step with your Spirit and to fulfill Your will in and through my life. I want to walk humbly before You and complete every assignment You give me. Give me and ear to ear and a heart to follow You wholeheartedly.

Yours Forever,

Jeff

God’s Love and Justice

 Scripture:

“Wail, for the LORD’s day of judgment is near; it comes with all the destructive power of the sovereign judge.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭13‬:‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

God is a god of love, peace, joy, patience, and goodness, but He is also the God who will judge the living and the dead. His love can be trusted in beautifully, but so can His justice. In this passage, Isaiah delivers a warning to Babylon that destruction is coming and that God is going to judge them for their actions through the years.

Application:

God is to be loved, honored, worshiped, and also to be feared. He will stand as the judge of the whole earth one day and will judge the people of the earth. Right now we have a period of great grace where God is drawing people everywhere to Himself through His loving kindness. One day in the future, He will rule with a rod of iron and His enemies will be destroyed. We should live in the love of the Lord, but also the fear of the Lord.

Prayer:

Lord God ALmighty, You are great and glorious and I love You with all my heart. Help me nail the balance between the love of God, the mercy of God, and the judgment of God. Help me to accurately present You to the world as I preach Your word. Let me be precise in my preaching and teaching. I don’t want to misrepresent You in any way. I want to know You more each day.

Your Son,

Jeff

Emotional Praise

 Scripture:

“Sing to the LORD, for he has done magnificent things, let this be known throughout the earth! Cry out and shout for joy, O citizens of Zion, for the Holy One of Israel acts mightily among you!”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭12‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah had just told Israel that they were going through some difficult times, but that in the future, God was going to bless them. When blesses, he said they should sing to the Lord for the magnificent things He has done, they should tell the whole world, and try should shout and cry out because God is working among them. 

Application:

When God does something for you, the appropriate response is to demonstrate your emotions. He loves it when His people sing, shout, cry out, and declare His great name to the whole world. God instructs us here to do those things because of what He has done for us. Sometimes we act like we are not emotional creatures and that God doesn’t like us to celebrate, but throughout Scripture I see God telling us to demonstrate our emotions in response to His blessings.

Prayer:

God, never let me lose my praise and my shout. Help me to never become religious and pious, but to treat You how You want to be treated. I love to dance, shout, sing, and cry out to God. Teach me to do that with all my heart. You have done amazing things for me and I want to shout it to the nations.

Yours,

Jeff

Times of Encounter

 Scripture:

“They called out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord who commands armies! His majestic splendor fills the entire earth!” The sound of their voices shook the door frames, and the temple was filled with smoke.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭3‬-‭4‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

When Isaiah encountered the presence of the Lord, it was life-transforming. He saw seraphim crying out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy.” Their voices shook the doorframes and the temple was filled with smoke.  It was an awe-inspiring moment that changed him forever. 

Application:

In our lives, we need times where we strongly encounter God. I don’t believe we should be experience-based in our theology and beliefs, but I do believe that God encounters His people to build the faith and strength their walk. Encounters like this are throughout Scripture. Holy moments like this happened in the Old and New Testaments. There is no reason it should not happen today. My life has been marked by some awesome moments in the presence of the Lord. 

Prayer:

Father, I want to encounter You! I want to see You high and lifted up. I want to see Your throneroom. I want to experience Your incredible power. I want others to have some encounters like I have had in the past. Let me be a conduit for Your glory and power. Show me how to help people to truly encounter Christ. 

Your Son,

Jeff

The Justice of God

 Scripture:

“Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done. Too bad for the wicked sinners! For they will get exactly what they deserve.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Isaiah begins his prophetic words with a strong rebuke of God’s people. In this verse, he declares the justice of God. He tells the innocent that they will be rewarded and the sinners that they will get what they deserve. He shows justice both directions, to the righteous a blessing and to the unrighteous a curse. 

Application:

As for me, I want to be on the blessing side of God’s justice and not the cursed side. I want to live a life that brings a smile to God’s face and makes Him want to bless me, not bring judgment into my life. Justice is coming one day when God will make every wrong thing right. I want to live in such a way that blessings flow and not punishment. 

Prayer:

Father, let my life be filled with Your love, Your grace, Your compassion, and Your strength. Help me to live with eternity in mind. When I stand before You, I want to hear well done good and faithful servant. Let my life be used for Your glory. Open doors and help me to walk confidently through them. Show me every decision I need to make. I want to follow Your voice and Your ways. 

Yours,

Jeff

A Crown of Righteousness

 Scripture:

“Finally the crown of righteousness is reserved for me. The Lord, the righteous Judge, will award it to me in that day – and not to me only, but also to all who have set their affection on his appearing.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭8‬ ‭NET‬‬

Observation:

Paul is writing here to Timothy. It is his final letter as he is fast approaching his own death. He declared that a crown of righteousness was reserved for him when he graduates to heaven. He then completed his thought by saying that it was also reserved for all those who have free their affection on His appearing. That’s anyone who is looking affectionately for the Lord’s appearing. 

Application:

Have I set my affections on Christ’s appearing? Do I live to receive a crown of righteousness? Do I live for the temporal or the eternal? These are questions we must ask ourselves. As for me, I want to receive a crown of righteousness. I want to live on this earth with eternity in mind. I want to be about my father’s business till He comes again.

Prayer:

Lord, You are everything to me. You are my life. You are my source and my resource. You are my hope and my help. Teach me to live with my affections on Your appearing. Let me live a life that honors Your name and expects Your return. I want to take as many people to heaven with me as possible. Help me to be effective in everything You entrust me with.

Yours Forever,

Jeff