September 29, 2006 - Isaiah 7-8 and Ephesians 2
God goes to great lengths to shows us that He can and will work wonderful miracles in our lives, if we will trust Him and follow Him. We have some wonderful examples of that in our reading today. What miracles has God worked in your life? Please, don't forget His grace and goodness to you, and know that He can do anything according to His will.
In Isaiah 7 God is asking king Ahaz to ask for a sign, so that he will believe that God is going to save Jerusalem from their enemies. Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign, but God gives it anyway. He is trying to get Ahaz to believe so his kingdom will be established, but he just won't put his faith in God. (v.9b) God does save Jerusalem miraculously by sending Assyria and Egypt. This is to show that God can do things beyond what we would even think possible.
Then, look at the prophecy of the sign in verse 14. Do you recognize that prophecy? Ultimately, it had a second fulfillment in Jesus being born to a virgin. What a miracle! God could even have a virgin conceive and bear a son, so Jesus could become the sinless God-Man and come to die for our sins. Do you see that God can do anything?
Isaiah 8 speaks of Isaiah putting his trust in the Lord as his hope. Even in a world filled with evil and sin, Isaiah knew that if he trusted God that God would be faithful to protect Him. That is what God did, and He will do the same for you today.
Ephesians 2 is a great passage that reminds us that God can take a person dead in sin and make him or her a new creation in Christ Jesus. He can save us by His grace and then work in our lives to create a beautiful work of art. (v.10) He could even bring the Jews and the Gentiles together in Christ. (v.16-18) What a mighty God we serve! The trouble is that sometimes we fail to believe His power and His grace. Please, be like Isaiah and trust Him no matter what everyone else is saying or doing. Then, He can really bless you and work His perfect will in your life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 9-10 and Ephesians 3. Then, on Sunday, I intend to read Isaiah 11-13 and Ephesians 4.
In Isaiah 7 God is asking king Ahaz to ask for a sign, so that he will believe that God is going to save Jerusalem from their enemies. Ahaz refuses to ask for a sign, but God gives it anyway. He is trying to get Ahaz to believe so his kingdom will be established, but he just won't put his faith in God. (v.9b) God does save Jerusalem miraculously by sending Assyria and Egypt. This is to show that God can do things beyond what we would even think possible.
Then, look at the prophecy of the sign in verse 14. Do you recognize that prophecy? Ultimately, it had a second fulfillment in Jesus being born to a virgin. What a miracle! God could even have a virgin conceive and bear a son, so Jesus could become the sinless God-Man and come to die for our sins. Do you see that God can do anything?
Isaiah 8 speaks of Isaiah putting his trust in the Lord as his hope. Even in a world filled with evil and sin, Isaiah knew that if he trusted God that God would be faithful to protect Him. That is what God did, and He will do the same for you today.
Ephesians 2 is a great passage that reminds us that God can take a person dead in sin and make him or her a new creation in Christ Jesus. He can save us by His grace and then work in our lives to create a beautiful work of art. (v.10) He could even bring the Jews and the Gentiles together in Christ. (v.16-18) What a mighty God we serve! The trouble is that sometimes we fail to believe His power and His grace. Please, be like Isaiah and trust Him no matter what everyone else is saying or doing. Then, He can really bless you and work His perfect will in your life.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 9-10 and Ephesians 3. Then, on Sunday, I intend to read Isaiah 11-13 and Ephesians 4.