Fri.’s Devo - The Good News! We Win!

Read: Isiah 39:1-41:16; Ephesians 1:1-23; Psalm 66:1-20; Proverbs 23:25-28 Hezekiah was deathly sick when the king of Babylon sent him a gift and his blessings on his health. Hezekiah showed off all his riches to the Babylonian ambassadors. When they had gone back to Babylon, God sent Isaiah to Hezekiah to ask him what he showed them. Hezekiah admitted showing them all their treasure. Isaiah told him that the day was coming when they would take it all and even his sons to Babylon where they would be made eunuchs (another name for transgendered.) That was what happened to Daniel, Meshech, Sadrach and Abendigo. *** Hezekiah was just glad it wasn’t going to happen in his day. (How selfish. I wonder what would have happened if he had repented and prayed.) *** I think it is very strategic that right after such a terrifying prophecy that God would give Isaiah a wonderful word about comfort and good news. We can take this one to the bank. This is a message for us in our day. *** The first thing God does is speak comfort and tenderness to his people. He hears the voice of John the Baptist who cried to the people to prepare their hearts to receive the lamb of God. God is crying out to us to prepare our hearts to receive the Lion of God. The glory of God will be revealed on the earth. *** God rules the earth and judges the great people of the earth who think they are invincible. God will bring them to nothing. How can we say that God doesn’t see our trouble and ignores our rights? He empowers the weak and strengthens the powerless. If we wait on the Lord, he will give us new strength. We will sour with Him on high like eagles and be renewed in our strength and in our walk. *** God gets his side ready for war while the enemy encourage their side which are in total fear. God encourages his people that he is on their side and he will help them to victory. Their enemies will end up confused and humiliated. All who oppose God’s people will die and come to nothing. This is God’s word to us right now in history. Do not be afraid. God is with us to help us win and not be taken over by a one world government. In the end we will win and rejoice! *** Paul had lived in Ephesians for three years and knew these people intimately. He wrote to them while he was in prison in Rome. He calls us God’s holy people who are faithful followers of Christ. He prays God would give us grace and peace and reminds us that God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. God chose us and loved us from the beginning of time and decided then to adopt us into his family. We have always been in God’s plan. God’s glorious plan is to bring everything together under the authority of Christ - on earth and in heaven. This is not what the rapture gospel says. *** God saved the Jew first and then the Gentile was brought in under Christ. He gave his Holy Spirit as a seal that we are His. *** Like Paul, we pray that our hearts will be flooded with light so we can understand the hope your have given us. We pray that we will understand the greatness of Your power for us who believe in You. We as your body are made full and complete in Christ who fills all things everywhere with himself.