Isaiah 53 (New Living Translation)
1 Who has believed our message?
To whom has the Lord revealed his powerful arm?
2 My servant grew up in the Lord’s presence like a tender green shoot,
like a root in dry ground.
There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance,
nothing to attract us to him.
3 He was despised and rejected—
a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
He was despised, and we did not care.
4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
it was our sorrows[a] that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
a punishment for his own sins!
5 But he was pierced for our rebellion,
crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.
6 All of us, like sheep, have strayed away.
We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him
the sins of us all.
7 He was oppressed and treated harshly,
yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers,
he did not open his mouth.
8 Unjustly condemned,
he was led away.[b]
No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.[c]
But he was struck down
for the rebellion of my people.
9 He had done no wrong
and had never deceived anyone.
But he was buried like a criminal;
he was put in a rich man’s grave.
10 But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him
and cause him grief.
Yet when his life is made an offering for sin,
he will have many descendants.
He will enjoy a long life,
and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands.
11 When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish,
he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience,
my righteous servant will make it possible
for many to be counted righteous,
for he will bear all their sins.
12 I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier,
because he exposed himself to death.
He was counted among the rebels.
He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Thank God it's Good Friday!
Oh, it's Good Friday again. This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. God planned it, before the foundation of the earth that on that day, after He had spent His time on earth in the body of a man, that He would die a horrible death on a cross, for us, His creation. He knew there was no other way. Jesus had to make the choice to do it, that's just the way it had to be! His purpose was to save us, to be our Redeemer from sin. By the way, we are ALL sinners and have ALL fallen short of the glory of God! Regardless of what pride tells us, Pride is a liar! We cannot be made right with God without accepting Jesus sacrifice for us. There is no other way! There is no greater love than this When we truly grasp the magnitude of Jesus love for us, it transforms our lives! It completes us. It brings us out of ignorance, out of darkness and into the marvelous light, a marvelous life. A life that is flowing with power, breath and living water!
Ephesians 3:14-21
"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."
This story below written by Beth Moore just this morning on her LPM blog really moved me. I hope you will be blessed by it:
"Several months ago, Melissa had insisted upon going with me to have a dye test to follow up a suspicious mammogram. (No rumors please. I do not have breast cancer. Because my mother died with it, however, I never get the luxury of drama-less annual check-ups.) We were sitting in the waiting room and a rack was within arms reach offering all manner of brochure on various cancers. Melissa took one out after another and glanced over them, shaking her head. She looked up at me with that classic expression of hers and said, "Life is brutal, man."
I nodded.
We both sat silently for just a moment.
Then she said one of the most profound things I've ever heard.
"He knows it's scary to be us."
Yes, He does. Yes, He does. He does NOT take the fact lightly that we go through medical tests to see if we have a raging cancer. He does NOT take lightly that some of you are secretly fearing that the monster has come back. He does NOT take lightly that some of you are going through the cancer treatments of your own children. I had to pause and put my hand over my mouth on that one. Holding back the tears.
Son of David, have mercy on us! You know it's scary to be us! It's almost too much here, Lord. It's almost too much.
And the thunder crashes in the heavens and the earth grows dark in the middle of the afternoon and a man, beaten to a bloody pulp, cries from a cross between two thieves, "It is finished!"
And death is overcome.
One day, Sweet Darling. ONE DAY. We will trade that hem for the real Him and there will be no more sickness. No more death. No more sadness. We will all be healed.
Bliss."
I pray that you have an incredible, beautiful, powerful, forgiven, redeemed, blessed Easter!
Love,
Brandi
Ephesians 3:14-21
"When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen."
This story below written by Beth Moore just this morning on her LPM blog really moved me. I hope you will be blessed by it:
"Several months ago, Melissa had insisted upon going with me to have a dye test to follow up a suspicious mammogram. (No rumors please. I do not have breast cancer. Because my mother died with it, however, I never get the luxury of drama-less annual check-ups.) We were sitting in the waiting room and a rack was within arms reach offering all manner of brochure on various cancers. Melissa took one out after another and glanced over them, shaking her head. She looked up at me with that classic expression of hers and said, "Life is brutal, man."
I nodded.
We both sat silently for just a moment.
Then she said one of the most profound things I've ever heard.
"He knows it's scary to be us."
Yes, He does. Yes, He does. He does NOT take the fact lightly that we go through medical tests to see if we have a raging cancer. He does NOT take lightly that some of you are secretly fearing that the monster has come back. He does NOT take lightly that some of you are going through the cancer treatments of your own children. I had to pause and put my hand over my mouth on that one. Holding back the tears.
Son of David, have mercy on us! You know it's scary to be us! It's almost too much here, Lord. It's almost too much.
And the thunder crashes in the heavens and the earth grows dark in the middle of the afternoon and a man, beaten to a bloody pulp, cries from a cross between two thieves, "It is finished!"
And death is overcome.
One day, Sweet Darling. ONE DAY. We will trade that hem for the real Him and there will be no more sickness. No more death. No more sadness. We will all be healed.
Bliss."
I pray that you have an incredible, beautiful, powerful, forgiven, redeemed, blessed Easter!
Love,
Brandi
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The God Of This City
"God Of This City"
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are
You're the light in this darkness
You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless
You are
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like You God
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here
You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all kings
You Are
You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are
For greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
When glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for You and love for You
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here.
This song has become my new favorites. The lyrics are powerful, telling of a God who is in control of this world, even though we may not see it with our eyes. There are so many things I have been praying for, for quite some time. God has spoken to me and said there are greater things in the works that God is planning. There are things happening in the Heavenlies that we just cannot see. I must wait for Him and He will reveal it all in His perfect timing! I am to trust God, that He knows what He is doing. Even as we speak, He is knocking on the door of people's hearts, He is working through circumstances, He is shaking things up - for HIS glory!!
Habakkuk 2:2-3 is so encouraging in this area of waiting:
"Then the Lord said to me,
“Write my answer plainly on tablets,
so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.
This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed."
May the King of Kings renew strength as you wait upon Him, not upon the thing you are waiting for. Simply wait on God. He will fulfill all of His promises!
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are
You're the light in this darkness
You're the hope to the hopeless
You're the peace to the restless
You are
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like You God
For greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here
You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all kings
You Are
You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are
For greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
When glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for You and love for You
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
Greater things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things have yet to come
And greater things are still to be done here.
This song has become my new favorites. The lyrics are powerful, telling of a God who is in control of this world, even though we may not see it with our eyes. There are so many things I have been praying for, for quite some time. God has spoken to me and said there are greater things in the works that God is planning. There are things happening in the Heavenlies that we just cannot see. I must wait for Him and He will reveal it all in His perfect timing! I am to trust God, that He knows what He is doing. Even as we speak, He is knocking on the door of people's hearts, He is working through circumstances, He is shaking things up - for HIS glory!!
Habakkuk 2:2-3 is so encouraging in this area of waiting:
"Then the Lord said to me,
“Write my answer plainly on tablets,
so that a runner can carry the correct message to others.
This vision is for a future time.
It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled.
If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently,
for it will surely take place.
It will not be delayed."
May the King of Kings renew strength as you wait upon Him, not upon the thing you are waiting for. Simply wait on God. He will fulfill all of His promises!
Monday, April 6, 2009
The Collision of God and Sin
1 Peter 2:24
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."
The Cross of Jesus is the revelation of God's judgement on sin. Never tolerate martyrdom about the Cross of Jesus Christ. The Cross was a superb triumph in which the foundations of hell were shaken. There is nothing more certain in Time or Eternity than what Jesus Christ did on the Cross: He switched the whole of the human race back into a right relationship with God. He made Redemption the basis of human life, that is, He made a way for every son of man to get into communion with God.
The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it. He is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." The whole meaning of the Incarnation is the Cross. Beware of separating God manifest in the flesh from the Son becoming sin. The Incarnation was for the purpose of Redemption. God became incarnate for the purpose of putting away sin; not for the purpose of Self-realization. The Cross is the center of Time and of Eternity, the answer to the enigmas of both.
The Cross is not the cross of a man but the Cross of God, and the Cross of God can never be realized in human experience. The Cross is the exhibition of the nature of God, the gateway whereby any individual of the human race can enter into union with God. When we get to the Cross, we do not go through it; we abide in the life to which the Cross is the gateway.
The center of salvation is the Cross of Jesus, and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much. The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merge with a crash and the way to life is opened - but the crash is on the heart of God.
- Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost For His Highest"
"Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree."
The Cross of Jesus is the revelation of God's judgement on sin. Never tolerate martyrdom about the Cross of Jesus Christ. The Cross was a superb triumph in which the foundations of hell were shaken. There is nothing more certain in Time or Eternity than what Jesus Christ did on the Cross: He switched the whole of the human race back into a right relationship with God. He made Redemption the basis of human life, that is, He made a way for every son of man to get into communion with God.
The Cross did not happen to Jesus: He came on purpose for it. He is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." The whole meaning of the Incarnation is the Cross. Beware of separating God manifest in the flesh from the Son becoming sin. The Incarnation was for the purpose of Redemption. God became incarnate for the purpose of putting away sin; not for the purpose of Self-realization. The Cross is the center of Time and of Eternity, the answer to the enigmas of both.
The Cross is not the cross of a man but the Cross of God, and the Cross of God can never be realized in human experience. The Cross is the exhibition of the nature of God, the gateway whereby any individual of the human race can enter into union with God. When we get to the Cross, we do not go through it; we abide in the life to which the Cross is the gateway.
The center of salvation is the Cross of Jesus, and the reason it is so easy to obtain salvation is because it cost God so much. The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merge with a crash and the way to life is opened - but the crash is on the heart of God.
- Oswald Chambers, "My Utmost For His Highest"
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Thoughts on Palm Sunday
Here are some wonderful thoughts on Palm Sunday, written yesterday by my wise and Jesus-loving friend, Jonathon Sawyer:
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday; a day observed by the historic Christian Church for centuries.
As a child, I recall walking into a church and receiving a palm leaf, or something akin to it. At the time, this gift that I received upon entering the sanctuary was void of any meaning except the youthful intrigue of receiving such an odd item prior to a church service.
This evening, as I compose my thoughts about Palm Sunday, I am filled with a reverential awe for the creator of the palm leaf, for "by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16-17
Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God, walked the earth and ministered among men who did not perceive his Godhood. Jesus' Jewish disciples were anticipating a Messiah who would restore the throne of King David. The Messiah was expected to conquer their Roman foes and restore the Kingdom of Israel through military might. In this Hebraic context, Jesus was celebrated and hailed with palm branches as the King of Israel. The Palm leaf was a symbol of Jewish victory, and rightfully prophesied a great conquest. Indeed, the Messiah Jesus was among them, but his conquest would be far greater than the greatest of military victories.
"His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him." John 12:16
The King Jesus' conquest would be sealed through his own blood and humility on the cross. His victory would be over sin, death, and Satan. On the cross, Jesus would become sin for sinners. Jesus would willingly endure the just punishment of a Holy and perfectly good God, so that those who trust in him would be credited as the beneficiaries of his sacrificial conquest over evil. Whereas we were once children of darkness, we are now forgiven children of light, and our Father is God, the maker of the palm leaf, and the creator of all things.
Colossians 1:15
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation."
John 1:10
"He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him."
2 Corinthians 5:21
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
1 Thessalonians 5:5
"For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness."
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday; a day observed by the historic Christian Church for centuries.
As a child, I recall walking into a church and receiving a palm leaf, or something akin to it. At the time, this gift that I received upon entering the sanctuary was void of any meaning except the youthful intrigue of receiving such an odd item prior to a church service.
This evening, as I compose my thoughts about Palm Sunday, I am filled with a reverential awe for the creator of the palm leaf, for "by him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through him and for him." Colossians 1:16-17
Jesus Christ, who is the image of the invisible God, walked the earth and ministered among men who did not perceive his Godhood. Jesus' Jewish disciples were anticipating a Messiah who would restore the throne of King David. The Messiah was expected to conquer their Roman foes and restore the Kingdom of Israel through military might. In this Hebraic context, Jesus was celebrated and hailed with palm branches as the King of Israel. The Palm leaf was a symbol of Jewish victory, and rightfully prophesied a great conquest. Indeed, the Messiah Jesus was among them, but his conquest would be far greater than the greatest of military victories.
"His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him." John 12:16
The King Jesus' conquest would be sealed through his own blood and humility on the cross. His victory would be over sin, death, and Satan. On the cross, Jesus would become sin for sinners. Jesus would willingly endure the just punishment of a Holy and perfectly good God, so that those who trust in him would be credited as the beneficiaries of his sacrificial conquest over evil. Whereas we were once children of darkness, we are now forgiven children of light, and our Father is God, the maker of the palm leaf, and the creator of all things.
Colossians 1:15
"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation."
John 1:10
"He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him."
2 Corinthians 5:21
"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."
1 Thessalonians 5:5
"For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness."
Friday, April 3, 2009
You were in His Prayers
Just a few hours ago, as I spent an absolutely glorious morning with God, outside in the fresh morning air, watching the sunrise, I was overwhelmed by what He has done for me! With Easter coming up, the sacrifice of Jesus is all the more real to me. Not that I don't live every day with the realization of what He did for me on the cross, but Easter provides a grand opportunity to celebrate it! It just makes me want to shout from the rooftops the meaning of what He did.
I've never come across such a beautiful illustration of what Jesus did until I read this morning's devotional by Max Lucado from his book, "And the Angels Were Silent." In it he says:
"The final prayer of Jesus was about you. His final pain was for you. His final passion was for you. Before he went to the cross, Jesus went to the garden. And when he spoke with his Father, you were in his prayers....
And God couldn't turn his back on you. He couldn't because he saw you, and one look at you was all it took to convince him. Right there in the middle of a world which isn't fair. He saw you cast into a river of life you didn't request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw you with a body which gets sick and a heart which grows weak....
On the eve of the cross, Jesus made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you."
Luke 22:41
"Then Jesus went about a stone's throw away from them. He kneeled down and prayed."
Jesus made the choice to die on the cross for us. He didn't have to go through with it but He understood He was sent to this earth to do His Father's will. And it is the will of God in Heaven that every person on this earth would come to know Him as their personal savior, through the incredible sacrifice of His son. What a treasure, a gift this is for us! I encourage you to not only accept it, but grab hold of it!!
Love in Christ,
Brandi
I've never come across such a beautiful illustration of what Jesus did until I read this morning's devotional by Max Lucado from his book, "And the Angels Were Silent." In it he says:
"The final prayer of Jesus was about you. His final pain was for you. His final passion was for you. Before he went to the cross, Jesus went to the garden. And when he spoke with his Father, you were in his prayers....
And God couldn't turn his back on you. He couldn't because he saw you, and one look at you was all it took to convince him. Right there in the middle of a world which isn't fair. He saw you cast into a river of life you didn't request. He saw you betrayed by those you love. He saw you with a body which gets sick and a heart which grows weak....
On the eve of the cross, Jesus made his decision. He would rather go to hell for you than go to heaven without you."
Luke 22:41
"Then Jesus went about a stone's throw away from them. He kneeled down and prayed."
Jesus made the choice to die on the cross for us. He didn't have to go through with it but He understood He was sent to this earth to do His Father's will. And it is the will of God in Heaven that every person on this earth would come to know Him as their personal savior, through the incredible sacrifice of His son. What a treasure, a gift this is for us! I encourage you to not only accept it, but grab hold of it!!
Love in Christ,
Brandi
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Seek His face!
Psalm 43:3-5
"Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live.
There I will go to the altar of God,
to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
O God, my God!
Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!"
Yes Lord, I will put my trust in you. You are all I need. You are my everything. I will praise you with all I've got to give. Thank you for guiding me with your truth, lighting my path in this dark world. I long for the day when I will see your face and until then, I will choose to constantly seek your face!!
Love,
Your daughter,
Brandi
"Send out your light and your truth;
let them guide me.
Let them lead me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you live.
There I will go to the altar of God,
to God—the source of all my joy.
I will praise you with my harp,
O God, my God!
Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and my God!"
Yes Lord, I will put my trust in you. You are all I need. You are my everything. I will praise you with all I've got to give. Thank you for guiding me with your truth, lighting my path in this dark world. I long for the day when I will see your face and until then, I will choose to constantly seek your face!!
Love,
Your daughter,
Brandi
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