April 24, 2025

Time is something only God controls. Our government can toy with it to cause undue stress on the people, but only God can make it speed up or slow down. Maybe it’s because I’m getting older that the time seems to go faster, but it seems to me that God has increased the speed of time right now. However, I’m not the only one feeling it; young people are feeling it, too. We know God can do anything, and He has. King Hezekiah was sick unto death, so Isaiah told him to get his affairs in order. The king turned towards the wall and prayed and reminded God of all the good he had done. Side note: maybe when we pray for our healing, we should give God a list of the good things we have done. God told Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that he would give him another fifteen years, and the sign of that happening would be that the sun would go back by 10 degrees and then return to the right position. King Hezekiah then proclaimed that he would use his time to praise God because who can praise God when they are rotting in the grave? I always tend to change directions when I hear such statements and have to look again for evidence that our souls go to heaven and are continually praising God without our bodies. Fixing this in my mind is hard when you read a verse pointing to death.

For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. Isaiah 38:18

Not to worry, here is a verse showing our souls go to heaven:

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. Ecclesiastes 12:7

About the time:

Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. Isaiah 38:8

April 23, 2025

We have a powerful weapon in our arsenal, prayer. King Hezekiah became afraid because he had heard of Sennacherib, king of Assyria’s plans to invade Judah, and sent word to Isaiah asking for prayer to help the people.

Behold, I will send a blast upon him, and he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; and I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land. Isaiah 37:7

Notice the confidence in his words. He didn’t hesitate and then prayed with expectation. 

1. Prayer is the best way to thwart the plans of the enemy.
2. The people of God know where their help comes from, so when they ask us for prayer, it is not a light thing they do. 
3. When we are greatly pressed, we should be earnest in our prayer.
4. Prayer lifts our spirits and is encouraging because we know God hears us, and we expect his mercy.
5. We must pray with faith, confidence, and an earnest desire for a positive answer with the intention to glorify God. 
6. We have no reason to be afraid of those who are the enemy of God. They have already been marked for destruction.  

Hezekiah prayed. God sent this answer to Him through Isaiah:

Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, He shall not come into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shields, nor cast a bank against it. By the way that he came, by the same shall he return, and shall not come into this city, saith the LORD. Isaiah 37:33-34

April 22, 2025

Hezekiah was a good king, but he still had issues to deal with, namely Sennacherib, king of Assyria. He came to invade the fenced cities of Judah. Hezekiah inquired of Sennacherib to find out what they could do to stop their invasion; he responded by telling him he wanted three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold (2 Kings 18.) Hezekiah complied, taking all the gold and silver from the king's house and the temple, even taking the gold off the temple doors. He even offered him two thousand horses! However, when you make a deal with the devil, you will pay the price because Sennacherib reneged on the agreement and invaded anyway, saying he was doing the Lord's work. 

When the enemy calls, he will use any and all excuses; remember, he is a liar and will come as a beacon of light, deceiving anyone who is weak. I pray every day that the followers of Jesus will open their eyes and be able to discern the truth. We are at a time in history when the Holy Spirit is a vital source, and we need to listen to him so we are not led astray by the shiny objects the devil dangles in front of us. Pray for discernment!

Now it came to pass in the fourteenth year of king Hezekiah, that Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the defenced cities of Judah, and took them. Isaiah 36:1

April 21, 2025

When pride becomes the centerpiece of our lives, we can almost count on God to take us down a notch. He warned Ephraim and Jerusalem through Isaiah because they let their pride turn into drunkenness, which overcame them. They must have thought they were safe under God's covering, but they ran amok, not believing He would hold them accountable. They hadn't learned their lessons through God's word and were stumbling with drunkenness. We need to understand the scriptures little by little to take them into our memory; in this chapter, God calls it precept upon precept. Judah and Israel had forgotten what they had learned. They had made a covenant with death rather than continuing under God's covering. They must have thought they would be protected from judgment, but God made it known that He was laying a cornerstone, a firm foundation, which we know is Jesus, and he will be the plumb line that we measure ourselves by and their covenant with hell would be revoked and they will be trodden down. The lesson is that we must take Jesus' covering seriously. If you are not learning, changing, and measuring yourselves against the plumb line of Jesus, you are at risk of rebuke. So we don't make grievous mistakes, we might need to ask ourselves, "What would Jesus do?"

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Isaiah 28:16

April 20, 2025

They had to take Jesus off the cross before the day of preparation; the Lamb was sacrificed and needed to be prepared. All his blood had been poured out. If they were still in Egypt, it would have been at this time they painted the doorposts with the blood of the lamb; before the death angel passed over. 

There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. John 19:42

The women saw where Jesus was laid in the sepulcher and went home to prepare the spices to anoint his body. If they were in Egypt, this is the point that they would have seasoned and cooked the lamb to eat before leaving there in a hurry.

And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Luke 23:56

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. Luke 24:1

However, Jesus was gone! There were angelic beings there to tell them that he had risen. 

When Jesus appeared to the men on the road to Emmaus, he ate with them.

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. John 20:19

Jesus set us free from our sins, and we escaped from the slavery of "Egypt." What he said next shows us the significance of what he did.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. John 20:22-23

If we remit our sins to him, he takes them, but if we don't, we will have to pay the price for them. 

Jesus has risen, and we who believe are set free.

April 19, 2025

Why did God choose us to populate the earth during such a time as this? Though it seems like everything that could go wrong did go wrong, we are the ones picked to witness what happens when God displays His mercy. If you are outside the United States, you might be thinking, “What is she talking about? Your country has everything?” But believe it or not, we are overworked and underpaid for being in such a powerful country. However, deliverance for such evil is coming quickly for all of us, and we will get to see our redemption from the powerful hands that are keeping us oppressed. The children of God can count on Him to deliver us from evil; He calls us a well-kept vineyard, pruned and properly watered, producing delicious fruit, and He will destroy our enemies. If you are feeling pressure and under hardship, remember, our redemption draws near, and we will hear the call of our Savior who loves us, and then we shall see him coming in a cloud with power and great glory. What a glorious day that will be! Wait for it; it will surely happen.

In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea. In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest anyhurt it, I will keep it night and day. Isaiah 27:1-3

April 18, 2025

Tyre was considered an island city full of the arts. They were proud of their culture and the festivities of the opera, balls, plays, and all types of sports. They made their money from the things of the sea and were a seaport for ships and vessels. I took a minute and looked it up on the map. It is not an island; it’s more like a peninsula. It shows some of the ruins of that day but also has a Starbucks. Isaiah was given a prophecy and predicted their destruction, but it would only last seventy years and become a joyous city again. It made me think of the coastal cities in Florida where you can find food, music, artists, and sailors in a laid-back setting, watching the sunset and enjoying the rhythm of the waves lapping against the shore. That is the type of lifestyle I enjoy the most. However, Tyre became too proud of their culture and may have given themselves too much credit for their accomplishments, leaving out the fact that all things good come from God. God wants us to have nice things, but when we put too much emphasis on ourselves, He will remind us that it is He who gives and takes, and if we aren’t careful to honor Him in all we do, He will take it away as a lesson not to become too conceited.

Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days? her own feet shall carry her afar off to sojourn. Who hath taken this counsel against Tyre, the crowning city, whose merchants are princes, whose traffickers are the honourable of the earth? The LORD of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth. Isaiah 23:7-9

April 17, 2025

What do you do when anticipating an inevitable adverse event? Isaiah spoke to the people of Jerusalem, warning them of the siege coming upon their land by either the Assyrians or the Chaldeans under Nebuchadnezzar. Rather than turning to God for their protection and away from their sinfulness, they decided to feast. That famous verse that nearly all of us can quote is their response to the warning: “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die.”

And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die. Isaiah 22:12-13

I can’t help but compare their situation to the United States. We are all partying and having a good time now that we have the “king” we want, who has promised us the world, rather than us groveling before God and turning away from our sins. I’m not going to lie; I’m holding out hope that God sent him because of our prayers, but I will not put all my hope in someone who is just a man. Our joy should be in God alone; no other can compare to His goodness and mercy. If you are partying as if all is well, then it’s time to turn back to God and continue praying and repenting. We are not out of danger yet. God is merciful and will relent if we all reach out to Him with a repentant heart. Let’s put on the whole armor of God while we wait for His intervention.

April 16, 2025

God positioned Isaiah as a watchman, and in his vision, he saw the coming destruction of Babylon by Cyrus of the Medes and Persians. Even after reading several commentaries on Isaiah 21, my brain was having a hard time understanding the context of these scriptures. Finally, after some clarification, I understood that Isaiah was seeing what was to happen when Cyrus and Darius took over the kingdom of Babylon. To pinpoint this time in biblical history, though I’m not certain, I believe we can narrow it down to the time right before the story of Esther. This prophecy was likely a comfort to Israel, being they were captives of Babylon whose leaders were of ill repute, revelers in disturbing sexual activity, drunks, and worshippers of idols. Remember what they were doing when God’s hand wrote on the wall? They were partying hard and were made sober when they saw the hand writing on the wall! It was during that time that Babylon was overtaken. Shortly after, when Cyrus came to power, some of the people from Israel were released to go home and rebuild the temple. 

Is our country living through another Darius and Cyrus takeover, or is it something else? Though it may feel like we are being released from captivity, only time will tell if it is true. The power is in the hands of God alone; put your trust in Him and not a man. 

And, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground. Isaiah 21:9

April 15, 2025

God told Isaiah to walk around naked and barefoot for 3 years as a sign to show Egypt and Ethiopia what was going to happen to them when He took away their glory, and they became like servants. According to the commentaries, Isaiah wasn’t completely naked; he was basically only wearing his underwear, no outer garment, and only when in front of the people the prophecy was intended. God calls Isaiah His servant, and the lack of clothing was how a servant dressed. Isaiah was loyal to God, and even though it was embarrassing for him, he did what he was told to do to make a point. People are hardheaded and sometimes must be shown their future since hearing words doesn’t always work. People get their minds made up and don’t want to hear something that might challenge their understanding, so they must be shown it to believe it. God will shame you if you don’t give Him the respect He deserves. God expects us to be holy and obedient; if there is anything in you that needs to be cleaned up, you should do it on your own so that God doesn’t put you to shame. 

So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians prisoners, and the Ethiopians captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. And they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation, and of Egypt their glory. Isaiah 20:4-5

April 14, 2025

It is arrogant to think we could overcome our destiny by controlling the weather. Yet scientists have done that for many decades by seeding the clouds and other methods to create rain and storms. If you don’t believe me, do a little research; it’s not hidden; they put it in plain sight. When God wants to teach a lesson or punish an affluent country, He will sometimes use weather as a means. Isaiah’s prophecy to Egypt is no exception. However, according to scripture, Egypt doesn’t even get clouds and rain; they water their crops and feed their families with the Nile River. In their case, God would dry up the river to show them who is in control and turn them away from their inanimate idols. So when Isaiah mentions that the Lord would come riding on the clouds and their idols would be moved, such a thing would be shocking to them; for that matter, it would be surprising to anyone. God will use commerce to break a country, and drying up the rivers would do that for the Egyptians. That was the bad news for them, but Isaiah also brought the good news; many of their people would turn to the Lord, and Egypt, Assyria, and Israel would worship the Lord together. Just know that God will use whatever means to turn the people toward Him and encourage them to surrender their lives to Him. 

The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. Isaiah 19:1

In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Isaiah 19:24

April 13, 2025

Today is Passover and commemoration of one of the holy feasts instituted by God in the Old Testament but made even more holy by Jesus. We have been misled by Rome and the enemy, making us think that celebrating the holy feasts is unnecessary because we are not Jewish. These feasts are God’s design and are not of human origin. Therefore, we should recognize the importance of following the ordinances God has instituted. It’s hard because we were never taught to follow them, but God told us to. We need to learn to quiet the world’s cares and do what God tells us to do in His Word. 

When Jesus ate the Passover Feast with his disciples before going to the cross, he specifically told us to keep this feast in remembrance of him. So what do we do? We decorate eggs and eat chocolate Easter bunnies, making a mockery of that solemn day. It is more evident than ever that we need to do our best to celebrate the way God intended, and if our churches do not teach it, we should take it upon ourselves to do what is right in the eyes of God. No one is leading this charge, so you do the research and lead your family in the right direction. 

Today, our family will celebrate Passover the best we know how in a Christian environment, remember the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made on the cross to save us from our sins, show our gratitude to him for raising from the dead to prove that he is God, and for giving us eternal life. 

During the PASSOVER meal:

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. Luke 22:19-20

Doesn’t scripture make you believe Jesus wanted us to celebrate communion during Passover just as he did? 

April 12, 2025

Even when the scriptures seem daunting and we lack understanding, we can be sure God has a teaching moment. Isaiah 18 is short but has some interesting truths.

1. He will take care of His people. God is our comfortable shelter. When it is hot out, He cools us. When it is cold out, He warms us. We can count on Him to be the perfect dwelling place.
2. He will reckon with His and our enemies. When we take shelter in Him, no one on earth, above the earth, or in the sea can harm us without facing the consequences of their actions. He is just.  

If you are dealing with an unpleasant situation, you can be sure that God sees what’s happening, knows who is causing it, will demand restitution from them, and will punish them with His wrath.  We are precious to Him, and He loves us more intensely than any love we’ve ever felt. Because of His love for us, we would be remiss not to give Him the praise and worship He deserves. 

For afore the harvest, when the bud is perfect, and the sour grape is ripening in the flower, he shall both cut off the sprigs with pruning hooks, and take away and cut down the branches. They shall be left together unto the fowls of the mountains, and to the beasts of the earth: and the fowls shall summer upon them, and all the beasts of the earth shall winter upon them. Isaiah 18:5-6

April 11, 2025

We don’t understand everything going on in our nation, but we know that anyone who comes against God’s children will pay the price with their livelihoods and maybe even their existence. Isaiah prophesied against Syria’s city, Damascus, because they joined with Israel to go against Judah, and because they sinned against them, they were carried away captive. Not only was the prophecy saying that Damascus would become desolate, but also Israel. Interestingly, even in their punishment, God left a remnant of repentant people who escaped to Judah. One thing we can count on is God knows us and knows our hearts, so no matter what punishment is handed down to the evil people, He will see that we are covered by Jesus and relent from burdening us with the same grief as the evil ones. Will it affect us? Of course, how could it not? But, whatever happens to others, we will be spared because we trust in Jesus. Sleep in your armor! Even though it seems well with us, you never know if trouble is lurking around the corner. We can count on God to see us through when trouble comes calling.

Woe to the multitude of many people, which make a noise like the noise of the seas; and to the rushing of nations, that make a rushing like the rushing of mighty waters! The nations shall rush like the rushing of many waters: but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off, and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind, and like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. Isaiah 17:12-13

April 10, 2025

Isaiah continues with the prophecy against Moab and tells that the prophecy will happen within three years. During David’s kingship, he made Moab tributaries and servants. Isaiah tells them to pay King Hezekiah tribute by gathering lambs from all over Moab. I can’t help but notice that this tribute resembles tariffs levied on other countries. 

Send ye the lamb to the ruler of the land from Sela to the wilderness, unto the mount of the daughter of Zion. Isaiah 16:1

Moab was to reverse all their unrighteous decrees against Israel, and as a token of their repentance, they were to oblige them. God was about to come down hard on Moab for taking advantage of His people, and there would be crying all over the land because of their unfairness. This section of scripture is a word of caution for people who oppress God’s children; He doesn’t take kindly to such behavior and will make such people pay for any damage they do to them. God is fair, and we can count on Him to bring about His justice. Anyone who doesn’t fear God will end up fearing everything else.

This is the word that the LORD hath spoken concerning Moab since that time. But now the LORD hath spoken, saying, Within three years, as the years of an hireling, and the glory of Moab shall be contemned, with all that great multitude; and the remnant shall be very small and feeble. Isaiah 16:13-14

April 9, 2025

The wrath of God cannot be escaped. If a sinner avoids His wrath on one occasion, they will be met with another, just as it happened to Moab. The people of Moab were idol worshippers, and Isaiah prophesied against them. Isaiah most likely preached his sermon to his people as a warning to get right with God to avoid destruction. We must remember that God begins his judgment and chastisement with His people before He corrects idolators with His consuming fire. Even though Isaiah didn't live in Moab, he was consumed with grief for what would happen to the Moabites. If your heart doesn't grieve for the lost, you had better check your salvation because God gives us a heart of compassion for others, even if they are our country's enemies. Because the Moabites are idolaters, when they go to their idols and pray for relief, they will walk away feeling the same grief. However, when we pray to the Lord, we find ourselves at peace because we are praying to a living God who comforts us in our suffering. 

And Heshbon shall cry, and Elealeh: their voice shall be heard even unto Jahaz: therefore the armed soldiers of Moab shall cry out; his life shall be grievous unto him. Isaiah 15:4

This prophecy is a reminder to be grateful for our Lord and Savior that we can freely go to the Father in prayer with all our requests, and He will comfort us and even send help if necessary. 

April 8, 2025

During the reign of Ahaz, king of Judah, Israel, and Syria went to war against Judah. We know that this couldn't end well for Israel because its king went against the family with another country. So, God sent Isaiah to meet with Ahaz to encourage him to have faith in God. The following scripture shows how your destiny depends on your faith:

And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. Isaiah 7:9

Isaiah told Ahaz to ask for a sign, but he refused, acting as if he didn't want to test God. Isaiah told him anyway to give him the courage to stand firm. In this context, Isaiah prophesied about the birth of Jesus so he would know that they wouldn't be annihilated because the Messiah would come from Judah. Jesus was not born until over 500 years later. 

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14

God requires our faith in Him. Remember, without faith, it is impossible to please God. Make sure you stand firm in your faith in Jesus because it is necessary to secure your eternity. 

April 7, 2025

Through all our trials and tribulations, we are comforted knowing that Jesus is covering all our mistakes with his holy blood. Not only does he cleanse us, but he protects us as though we were Israel in the wilderness with a cloud by day and fire by night. The beginning of Isaiah 4 describes the desperation of the women after all the men are killed, but then it goes into the protection of God’s people. It is a beautiful depiction of Christ as the branch.

In that day shall the branch of the LORD be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them that are escaped of Israel. Isaiah 4:2

We must spend some time in grateful adoration of our Savior; he is worthy of every ounce of thankfulness we have to offer. Spend time praising and worshipping him with all your heart, soul, and mind. A time may come when that’s all we have, but he is enough.

April 6, 2025

God gave Isaiah a vision of what was to come. Chapter 2 provides a picture of what will happen when Jesus returns to take his place as the rightful King. Though the people had bowed down to the inanimate objects, they will bow to Jesus, and he will cause them to forget about all those idols, and they will see their mistake, scurry to the mountains and the clefts of the rocks, and hope they fall on them out of fear for their lives. Those who have become haughty over the valuables and worshipped materialistic objects will quickly give them up and bury them in the dust. It is going to be a disastrous day for those who made the antichrist their king and worshipped him, a mere man, rather than giving God the honor due Him. The day of the Lord will be awful for those who reject him and put their faith in someone who doesn’t have actual power and will end up in the same situation as his subjects. Those of us who are saved by the blood of Jesus need to have more compassion for the dying in their sin and be more convincing with the help of the Holy Spirit and give it all we’ve got to lead them to Jesus. It is our duty and our commission from Jesus. Listen carefully to the cues given to you by the Holy Spirit and respond when he tells you to witness to someone about Jesus. Time is very short.

And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. Isaiah 2:17

Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of? Isaiah 2:22

April 5, 2025

The stages of a child’s growth are much like our growth in the things of God. Your parents help you through each stage, guiding you along the way. You start out defenseless, relying on them for your food and care. You then get teeth, begin to crawl, and then walk. You are a little more sturdy and starting to do a few things independently. At no time were you without the help of your parent or someone else experienced in life. This example represents the way we grow in the knowledge of the Holy. The Lord is our guide. He never leaves us alone but slowly takes us into the living water, first into the shallow, where it’s only ankle deep. Then He takes us a little deeper, so the water is knee-deep. It’s not as easy to walk, but you’re in a little deeper. Then He takes you into the water past your waist. He measures again and then takes you in over your head where the water is so high that it’s not passable, and you must swim. Then He leads you out. He’s with you every step of the way. Growing in the knowledge of the Holy doesn’t happen all at once. Be patient with yourself, it’s a process. You’re growing, and eventually, you will swim in the living water flowing from the temple! 

Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through. Ezekiel 47:3-5