ISAIAH 56

Key Verse: Isaiah 56:7 “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.”

The Church comes from the Greek word, Ecclesia, which means a called out assembly of Christians. The church is you and me, the Christians!

1.  The Church Is Not A House Of Party

V7 “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer:…”

Many people come to church as though they are in the House of Party. There will be great celebration, great music, great singing, great dancing and great merry making. They expect to hear a great message of how great they are and how successful they can be in life.  But do they come as a church praying that they shall be holy as God is holy?

2.  The Church Is Not A House of Politicians

V7 “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar;…”

Many people come to church as though they are in the House of Politicians. They will dress well, greet well, speak well, donate well in their so-called burnt offerings and sacrifices and do everything to please everyone. But do they come to church praying that their burnt offerings and their sacrifices be holy and acceptable before a holy God?

3.  The Church Is A House Of Prayer

V7 “Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.”

Indeed, the church is a house of prayer. The Christians are to humble ourselves and realize that we are nothing and God is everything and we pray for His presence, power, providence and protection upon us. We may worship God, hear God’s message and serve God as teachers, choir members, ushers, greeters, etc., but the top requirement of God for His church or for you and me is that we pray, pray and pray!
 
Prayer of the Week

God, help me to truly pray to you as we are the house of prayer.

Action of the Week

Set aside a regular time of prayer alone with God; a time of prayer with your family; a time of prayer with your fellow Church members or Christian colleagues or friends.

ISAIAH 55

Key Verse: Isaiah 55:6 “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near:”

1.  Seek God’s Will

V6 “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.”

What do people seek in this world? Many seek to prosper and get rich. We seek to be successful in life, in doing well in our study and career, and in having material possessions of the 5 Cs of Cash, Credit cards, Cars, Condominiums, Country Clubs, etc. However, God commands you to seek Him first, in fact, God commands you to seek Him first while He may be found and call Him while He may be near, why? My friends, there shall be a time when you die and you are in hell and crying and weeping to God for help and mercy. This is the time when it is a little too late. While you have the breath, while you have the heartbeat, believe in God and trust in Him and seek His perfect will in your life. God’s will is indeed perfect will for your life because He knows your needs and desires as He creates you!
 
2.  Seek God’s Way

V8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.”

As God is in heaven and we are on earth, we can never fully understand God’s ways and thoughts. As God is our Creator and we are His creatures, we can never fully understand the Creator’s ways and thoughts. So what must we do? Trust God in all our ways. God knows best. God shall make a way for us when there seems no way.

3.  Seek God’s Word

V11 “So shall My Word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

What a promise that God’s Words shall not return void or empty! In other words, when we read or hear God’s Words in our daily bible study or quiet time or during our weekly worship service, God’s Words shall change our lives for God’s glory! As we read and obey God’s Words, we shall become Christ like and one day, we shall meet Christ face to face in heaven glory land. What a great and glorious day it shall be!

Prayer of the Week

God, help me to seek You first before my study, career, ministry, relationship, family  and health.

Action of the Week

Read the Bible and pray for God to direct you His Will, Way and Word in your life.

ISAIAH 54

Key Verse: Isaiah 54:7 “For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.”

1.  God shall Grant You Great Mercies

V7 “For a moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee.”

Someone told me that the main reason why people including Christians are still living in sin is because of God’s great mercies. People are cursing, swearing and denying God and yet they are still happily eating, drinking and enjoying life because of God’s great mercies. My friends, do not envy the sinners because God’s great mercies have limits and soon He shall judge you and me and the entire world for all that we have done.

2.  God shall Grant You Everlasting Kindness

V8 “In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer.”

Not only God has great mercies but He also has everlasting kindness. You may sin and sin against God but He has great mercies and everlasting kindness that He shall forgive you time and time again. However, the vital question is how long you shall take to finally realize that God’s great mercies and everlasting kindness shall cease because of your persistent rebellion against Him.

3.  God shall Grant You Eternal Protection

V17 “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the Lord.”

What a promise for God’s servants! No weapon, not even nuclear weapons, can defeat the Christians as God shall protect you. This is the greatest heritage that Christians can ever have from the Almighty God that nothing, not even the devil’s worst attack, can harm and destroy you. The devil may seem to defeat you with his constants assaults but he shall never prevail against you because of God’s great mercies, everlasting kindness and eternal protection.
 
Lamentations 3:22 “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”

Prayer of the Week

God, help me not to take your great mercy, everlasting kindness and eternal protection for granted.

Action of the Week

Show great mercy, everlasting kindness and eternal protection to your loved ones as well as people around you and even those who hurt and offend you.

ISAIAH 53

Key Verse: Isaiah 53:3 “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”

1.  Christ Bears Your Sorrows 

V3 “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.”

Are you going through sorrows? Are you despised and rejected by men? Have you thought for a moment, the Son of God or God Himself, going through sorrows and grief, and was despised and rejected by men? You would have thought that Christ would be like the President of the most powerful nation of the world and people would have esteemed and exalted him greatly and gloriously and He would have been a man of happiness and joy. However, it was not the case. Jesus was described as a man of sorrows. Why? Jesus was despised and rejected of men because He preached to them to repent of their sins and wickedness, and no one would like to be rebuked and told of their sins.

2.  Christ Bears Your Sufferings

V5 “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.”
  
Are you going through sufferings? Christ has gone through sufferings as He was wounded and bruised by the whipping and torture of the cruel Roman soldiers not for His sins or crimes that He had committed but for the sins that we have committed. Christ not only suffered physical pains but He also suffered emotional pains. He went through ingratitude and betrayal of the people He came to save and even experienced rejection by God, His Father, who forsook Him while He bore the sins of the whole world.

3.  Christ Bears Your Sins

V10 “Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.”

Are you in your sins? Confess and forsake your sins and wrong doings and turn to Christ who had already paid the price of your sins by His death on the cross.

Prayer of the Week

God, thank You so much for bearing my sorrows, sufferings and sins and help me not to be surprise when I am despised and rejected by men because You were also despised and rejected by men.

Action of the Week

Encourage and comfort those who are going through sorrows and sufferings to look to God and commit their sorrows and sufferings to Him.

ISAIAH 52

Key Verse: Isaiah 52:13 “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.”

1.  The Meaning of Prudence 

V13 “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, ...”

Prudence means to think carefully before taking actions, to be wise in every decision making. Jesus Christ is the best example of one who deals prudently. He did everything prudently according to His Father’s perfect will. As a boy, He was prudent in helping His carpenter father in his furniture business. As a young man, He was prudent with His relationship with people. In His ministry, He was prudent in His preaching, teaching, healing and ministering to others. At His final hour, He was prudent in submission to the Father’s will to die for the sins of the whole world.

Luke 2:52 “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.”

Luke 8:1 “... He went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: ..."
 
Luke 23:46 “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, He gave up the ghost.”

2.  The Blessings of Prudence

V13 “Behold, my servant shall deal prudently, He shall be exalted and extolled, and be very high.”

The blessings of Christ’s prudence are that He is now exalted, extolled and at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

3.  Are You Prudent?

Examine yourself whether you have been prudent in the past. If you have not been prudent, pray and ask God for prudence and wisdom. A moment of folly, a life time of regrets while a moment of prudence, a lifetime of blessings!

Prayer of the Week

God, help me to be prudent in what I think, say, see, hear and do.

Action of the Week

Be prudent before you make any decision be it small or big for the glory of God.

ISAIAH 51

Key Verse: Isaiah 51:2 “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”

The nation of Israel was discouraged as they suffered much when they rebelled against God. God had to remind them that they were His people and He shall fulfill the promises He made to Abraham and his wife, Sarah, that Israel shall always be a great nation.

1.  The Lord Calls

V2 “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone,…”

The Lord who called Abraham and fulfilled His promises to him is the same God who called you to be a Christian and He shall also fulfilled His promises to you.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.”
 
2.  The Lord Blesses

V2 “Look unto Abraham your Father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him,….”

The Lord who calls you shall also blesses you if you obey Him.

V1 “Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.”

God reminded Israel to humble themselves as the first man, Adam, was created by God out of the dust of the ground!

Genesis 2:7 “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”

3.  The Lord Increases

V2 “Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.”

Until today, God has faithfully preserved the nation of Israel in the midst of much violence and unrest in the region because of His promises to Abraham.

Prayer of the Week

God, thank you so much for calling me and fulfilling your promises to me.

Action of the Week

Share with someone your testimony of how God has called you to be a Christian and has not only blessed you but fulfill His promises to you.

ISAIAH 50

Key Verse: Isaiah 50:4 “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know who to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”

Who was the prophet Isaiah referring to when he wrote this passage? The Lord Jesus Christ.

1.  The Lord will teach you

V4 “The Lord God hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know who to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.”

What was Jesus doing while He was on earth? Jesus did not just spent His time making furniture as the son of a carpenter, but He studied the Word morning by morning, and subsequently preached and taught the Word and healed and ministered to the wearied ones. If Jesus, the Son of God, studied the Word morning by morning, how much more must you study the Word of God?

2.  The Lord will strengthen you

V7 “For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.”

The Lord helped Jesus to endure the betrayal of Judas, the denial of Peter, the rejection by His disciples, the shame and suffering on the cruel cross. The Lord shall also help you to endure betrayal, rejection, shame and suffering as you go through life storms.

3.  The Lord will vindicate you

V9 “Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.”

The Lord vindicated Jesus by raising Him from the dead when He was condemned to die on the cross.
The Lord shall also vindicate you from false charges and accusations. It will not be easy for Christians to live a just and holy life in this unjust and unholy world, but God shall teach, strengthen and vindicate you as you go through life crises and challenges.

Prayer of the Week

God, help me to draw strength from You as I go through life crises and challenges.

Action of the Week

God, help me to help others who are going through life crises and challenges.

ISAIAH 49

Key Verse: Isaiah 49:1 “Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name.”

I can’t help but cry before God to know that I am so precious, glorious and blessed by Him. Indeed, we belong to the King of kings and Lord of lords and we have everything  and there is nothing that God shall withhold from us.

1.  You are Precious

V1 “... The Lord hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath He made mention of my name.”

God knows my name. Indeed, God knows our names even when we were yet born into this world. God already knows what kind of person we will turn out to be. He knows whether we will receive and acknowledge Him as our personal Savior and Lord. In His eyes, we are precious to Him. How can we not trust God for all our troubles and cares since we are precious in His sight!

2.  You are Glorious

V5 “And now, saith the Lord that formed me from the womb to be His servant, to bring Jacob again to Him, Though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.”

God knows my weaknesses. Indeed, God knows our weaknesses. Though we may fail Him many times yet we are glorious and honoured in His sight. Imagine the Creator and Maker of this universe treats us with glory and honor, it truly humbles us! I am so thankful and grateful to God that in spite of my weaknesses and sins, God is always patient, loving and kind toward me. God never gives up on me. How can I be weak when God is my strength and He shall see me through this life as I totally and completely depend on Him!

3.  You are Blessed

V10 “They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall He guide them.”

God knows my needs. Indeed, God knows my needs. God created and made me in His image. The Creator knows His creatures and what needs the creatures have. How can I not trust God for all my needs when God shall lead, guide and blessed me all the days of my life!

Prayer of the Week

God, thank You so much that I am Precious, Glorious and Blessed by Thee.

ISAIAH 48

Key Verse: Isaiah 48:10 “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.”

1.  Suffering Refines Man’s Character

V10 “Behold, I have refined thee, …”

Man’s character is of utmost importance to God. God has made man in His image. However, as a result of man’s disobedience, man comes short of the image of God. The only way for man to be restored to God’s image is to believe in God again, and then God shall refine man’s character into His image that of godliness and holiness.

2.  Suffering Reflects God’s Choice

V10 “Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.”

Count it a privilege if you suffer for God as it is a confirmation that He has chosen you! If God is to refine man as the way man refines silver, then no man will come forth as pure silver as man is too impure. However, it is by God’s infinite grace, mercy and love, that when the people call upon God that He shall hear them and refine their impurities for His glory.

Zechariah 13:9 “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.”
 
3.  Sufferings Reflects God’s Glory

V11 “For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it: for how should my name be polluted? And I will not give my glory unto another.”

God’s glory is manifested when Christians suffer for God. History testifies that as a result of heavy and intense persecution, Christianity has actually flourished even in Communist countries. Indeed, it is through suffering that we are able to discern the real Christians from the false ones. During good times, it is easy to believe in God because there is no suffering and persecution. However, it is only during bad times, when suffering and persecution come, that we shall see the true blue Christians who still believe and confess that Jesus is the Lord.

Prayer of the Week

God, Help me to Endure Sufferings as they Refine my Character and Reflect God’s Choice and God’s Glory.

ISAIAH 47

Key Verse: Isaiah 47:10 “For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.”

Why do majority of the people including Christians, not call upon God, as in Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not”?

1.  Wickedness

V10 “For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me…….”

The world is getting more wicked as we see many including teenagers committing wickedness in the form of violence, corruption, deceit, cursing, immorality, etc. Like the Nike advertisement of “Just do it”; many youth have experimented wickedness and sinned against God. Even Christians have secretly committed wickedness and lived double lives, thinking that no one sees their wickedness. They fail to realize that God sees every of their actions and deeds, and God even knows what is in their thoughts and hearts!

Jeremiah 17:10 “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins (thoughts), even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.’

2.  Wisdom

V10 “For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee;…”

As wisdom and knowledge increases due to affluence and advance in education and technology, many become proud and do not believe in God. Unless they can see God and touch God, they refuse to believe God and the truth of His Word, the Bible.

2 Timothy 3:7 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

3.  Worship

V10 “For thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me.”

Instead of worshipping God, man worship himself. In his wickedness and wisdom, man chooses to worship self. The result of worshipping self is selfishness and this sin is manifested in every aspect of life as the common saying, “Every man for himself.” No one really cares for others. It is sad and tragic when even loved ones, husband and wife,  fight against each other for selfish reasons, at the expense of their children and family!

Prayer of the Week

God, Help me to Call upon You, and Worship You, and You Alone.