Isaiah 53:1-2
Who has believed what He has heard from us?
And to whom has the Arm of the Lord been revealed?
For He grew up before Him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
He had no form or majesty that we should look at Him,
and no beauty that we should desire Him.
He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces He was despised,
and we esteemed Him not.
Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed Him stricken,
smitten by God,
and afflicted.
But He was pierced for our transgressions;
He was crushed for our iniquities;
upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with His wounds
we are healed.
Isaiah 53 is living and active. We could be speaking of Moses in his 80's tending his fathers-in-law's flocks. Or of David, by passed by his father, Jesse, for being the youngest and least worthy. Samuel, the Rabbi and Prophet, had to order Jesse to fetch David, and they all stand, not sitting, waiting for David to arrive before them, David had been doing his father's work in the fields. Looking into the heart, the Lord could see.
As we continue down Isaiah's 53rd Chapter, we can see this ordeal is redeemed by Jesus, the Savior of the world.
Psalm 1
3 He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
The Scriptures are like Praise music song progression.
What is song progression in music?
Put simply, a chord progression is a series of chords played in sequence that all work around a key. The Scriptures are about Jesus Christ and the people who are following Jesus using as we all do, our flawed nature and abilities.
Isaiah 53 is hard and really Jesus wanted His longest discussion with His Disciples in John 14, 15, 16 and 17 to be the Joy Jesus has in Life. This Life.
During November, December and January, Edward and I encountered several illnesses. I had the worst cold for decades. Then Edward and I had norovirus, which led to Edward's colon bleed and Critical Care in the Hospital.
We are still Profoundly Grateful for the people who prayed for Edward to recover. He wasn't eating, there was no reason to suggest his own body would heal. And did after an hour of prayers that arrived. We are Grateful! Thank you to our neighbors who prayed
We took a cruise to Alaska after the school year had begun. So many as we looked around the dining room were people in their 80s or late 70s. Incredibly inspiring. Joy to experience life. The excursions, people with a walker, now and then, moving down the boardwalk and on to the next adventure. Strive. Even some 90s.
Octogenarians - when you are this age, you have experienced the joys and hardships the Lord told us all for millenniums would occur. And to survive, you'd have to believe there is something Simply More worth attending to. Heaven is described as a Tree, from the smallest seed. The Scriptures go on to say faith of the smallest seed is rewarded. And from this seed, grows the largest Tree where the birds long to sit and live, move and have their being.
A Tree will know drought, heat, cold, wind, excessive rain. And become worthy for years and years. Especially when there is as Proverbs says, a future to look toward. Eternity is a mighty long time.
Beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life. Electric word: Life. Meaning forever. And that's a mighty long time. But I'm here to tell you there's something else. The afterworld. A world understanding the earth is the Lord's and the fulfillment thereof. The Kingdom of God, Power of God and the Glory of God. Exhibited by the people of faith. Lived by the Children of God.
The Joy of the Lord is our Strength. Always.
Abba, Father,
Father, You have said
All these blessings will come on you
and accompany you
if you obey the Lord your God.
The Lord will send a blessing on your barns
and on everything you put your hand to.
The Lord your God will bless you in the land He is giving you.
You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.
The Lord will establish you as His Holy people, as He promised you on oath,
if you keep the commands of the Lord your God
and walk in obedience to Him.
We believe Your blessing Father God,
for ourselves,
the ones we Love,
the People You have given us.
We believe Your Blessing for Our Jesus and Scripture believing Churches.
We believe this for Your people around the world.
We will believe this for Our Nation.
Dwell in me,
Dwell in us,
Dwell in those we Love,
Help us to seek You first.
And we will finish well, in Jesus Christ.
Help us find and bring
to become
more Heaven
to this earth.
And the Nations of the world,
Your Good Creation,
Calling upon You.
In Jesus Christ is
Our Love, Joy and Hope.
Bless those working for
Post Pandemic Healing
and Care.
Bless us all, worldwide
with Healing
Safety
Prosperity and
Peace.
We ask healing
of Your Good Creation
The fullness of the earth is Yours.
The healing of those we pray for
in our heart and soul.
The safety of Your people.
The safety of those
helping the earth to heal.
Let evil and practicing evil
depart far from us
and our children.
The safety of Your people.
The Healing
of the Nation.
Wholeness
Holy.
Goodness.
And in Jesus - this Hope,
Faith and Love - we will rise up believing Jesus.
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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