Word for Today, Tue, 26 Jun 2001, The Prophet Speaks at a Traffic Light

#1 · June 26, 2001, 10:51 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on June 26, 2001, 10:51 pm
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I would like to write to you today about the experience I had
last Saturday in my car. I was just heading to the grocery store,
(about a 1/2 mile down the bottom of the hill near my house). Before
turning on the street to head down the hill, I stopped at a traffic
light. I paused to fiddle with some stuff in the pocket of the driver
door of my car, and my eyes gazed upon my pocket sized Bible that I
carry there.

Now I read the Bible all the time, but it had been some time since I
had opened this particular pocket Bible. I purchased this Bible many
years ago with the intention of giving it away. (Now it is so old and
tattered that I would only give it away if that was all that I had
available! Instead, I give people newer, easy to read Bibles,
especially if they are unfamiliar with the ideas presented by the
Bible. I also point many people online to the Bible, as I did in
yesterday's edition.

But back to the story...

Something compelled me (I believe it was the Holy Spirit) to turn to a
particular section of the Bible. Now I had not been particularly
thinking about this passage, but for some reason, I was lead to read
Isaiah. It was precisely what I needed at that moment. Read, and
listen in your heart, to some of these precious words spoken by God
through the prophet Isaiah:

bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=Isaiah+43&version=NIV&showfn=no&showxref=no&language=english

Isaiah 43

1 But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O
Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have
redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when
you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When
you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames
will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your
Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your
stead.

4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I
love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in
exchange for your life.

5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children
from the east and gather you from the west.

6 I will say to the north, `Give them up!' and to the south, `Do
not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters
from the ends of the earth--

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."

8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but
are deaf.

9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which
of them foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so
that others may hear and say, "It is true."

10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant
whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and
understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will
there be one after me.

11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.

12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed-- I, and not some
foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"that I am God.

13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of
my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"

14 This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, the Holy One of
Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as
fugitives all the Babylonians, in the ships in which they took
pride.

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel's Creator, your King."

16 This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way through the
sea, a path through the mighty waters,

17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and
reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not
perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the
wasteland.

20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I
provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give
drink to my people, my chosen,

21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my
praise.

There is, indeed, much cause to give thanks and praise every day to
God, for He really is Good, and His love endures forever.

So now, my hope is clearly in Him, even when things get dark.

I was so taken by the words in Isaiah 43 that I read, as speedily
as I could, the words in that chapter before the light turned
"green". When the light did turn, I knew that there was more
there for me.

When I got to the store, instead of running in right away, I sat
and skimmed back and forth through Isaiah 40-44, and saw many
other promises of God. For instance, some of you may be familiar
with the passage at the end of Isaish 40, where God paints a word
picture: "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint" (verse 31, chapter 40).

Don't you want to know more about the God woh says such
encouraging things? The God who is so incredibly patient with
all of us, (even when we are as rebellious as the nation of
Israel was at the time Isaiah first spoke those words)? Let's
give Him our praise today, and respond to Him in love. Then let
us love one another, for love comes from God (who can quote me
chapter and verse on that one)?

Dear God, Your every way and word are precious to me.
Sometimes, I cannot help but stop what I am doing and praise
You. But I also confess that there are far too many times when I
am moving too fast to give You the honor and praise that You
richly deserve. Forgive my shallow attitude in such times,
precious Lord. Please strengthen the faint hearted, support the
weak, help the afflicted, and honor your people, and use me in
those roles, for Your eternal praise, honor, and glory. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: www.geocities.com/masinick/
The Rules Have Changed...Get Paid to Surf the Web!
www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=BKU-690

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail
personal.mail.yahoo.com/

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I would like to write to you today about the experience I had
last Saturday in my car. I was just heading to the grocery store,
(about a 1/2 mile down the bottom of the hill near my house). Before
turning on the street to head down the hill, I stopped at a traffic
light. I paused to fiddle with some stuff in the pocket of the driver
door of my car, and my eyes gazed upon my pocket sized Bible that I
carry there.

Now I read the Bible all the time, but it had been some time since I
had opened this particular pocket Bible. I purchased this Bible many
years ago with the intention of giving it away. (Now it is so old and
tattered that I would only give it away if that was all that I had
available! Instead, I give people newer, easy to read Bibles,
especially if they are unfamiliar with the ideas presented by the
Bible. I also point many people online to the Bible, as I did in
yesterday's edition.

But back to the story...

Something compelled me (I believe it was the Holy Spirit) to turn to a
particular section of the Bible. Now I had not been particularly
thinking about this passage, but for some reason, I was lead to read
Isaiah. It was precisely what I needed at that moment. Read, and
listen in your heart, to some of these precious words spoken by God
through the prophet Isaiah:

bible.gospelcom.net/cgi-bin/bible?passage=Isaiah+43&version=NIV&showfn=no&showxref=no&language=english

Isaiah 43

1 But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, O
Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have
redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when
you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When
you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames
will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your
Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your
stead.

4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I
love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in
exchange for your life.

5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children
from the east and gather you from the west.

6 I will say to the north, `Give them up!' and to the south, `Do
not hold them back.' Bring my sons from afar and my daughters
from the ends of the earth--

7 everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made."

8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but
are deaf.

9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which
of them foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so
that others may hear and say, "It is true."

10 "You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant
whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and
understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will
there be one after me.

11 I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.

12 I have revealed and saved and proclaimed-- I, and not some
foreign god among you. You are my witnesses," declares the LORD,
"that I am God.

13 Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of
my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"

14 This is what the LORD says-- your Redeemer, the Holy One of
Israel: "For your sake I will send to Babylon and bring down as
fugitives all the Babylonians, in the ships in which they took
pride.

15 I am the LORD, your Holy One, Israel's Creator, your King."

16 This is what the LORD says-- he who made a way through the
sea, a path through the mighty waters,

17 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and
reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again,
extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:

18 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

19 See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not
perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the
wasteland.

20 The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I
provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give
drink to my people, my chosen,

21 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my
praise.

There is, indeed, much cause to give thanks and praise every day to
God, for He really is Good, and His love endures forever.

So now, my hope is clearly in Him, even when things get dark.

I was so taken by the words in Isaiah 43 that I read, as speedily
as I could, the words in that chapter before the light turned
"green". When the light did turn, I knew that there was more
there for me.

When I got to the store, instead of running in right away, I sat
and skimmed back and forth through Isaiah 40-44, and saw many
other promises of God. For instance, some of you may be familiar
with the passage at the end of Isaish 40, where God paints a word
picture: "those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow
weary, they will walk and not be faint" (verse 31, chapter 40).

Don't you want to know more about the God woh says such
encouraging things? The God who is so incredibly patient with
all of us, (even when we are as rebellious as the nation of
Israel was at the time Isaiah first spoke those words)? Let's
give Him our praise today, and respond to Him in love. Then let
us love one another, for love comes from God (who can quote me
chapter and verse on that one)?

Dear God, Your every way and word are precious to me.
Sometimes, I cannot help but stop what I am doing and praise
You. But I also confess that there are far too many times when I
am moving too fast to give You the honor and praise that You
richly deserve. Forgive my shallow attitude in such times,
precious Lord. Please strengthen the faint hearted, support the
weak, help the afflicted, and honor your people, and use me in
those roles, for Your eternal praise, honor, and glory. Amen.

Your Brother in Christ,
Brian

=====
--
Brian Masinick, "The Mas", mailto:masinick@yahoo.com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
The Rules Have Changed...Get Paid to Surf the Web!
http://www.alladvantage.com/home.asp?refid=BKU-690

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get personalized email addresses from Yahoo! Mail
personal.mail.yahoo.com/