Powerful Words from the Prophets“LORD, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws…” – Isaiah 26:8 (NLT)“Listen To Your Doctor and Trust the Lord” When I was in college in Houston, I worked at the Downtown YMCA. One of the jobs I had while I was there was working in the stress testing lab. Part of the membership included a battery of tests to show what kind of shape you were in. That, in turn, w...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“But for those who are righteous, the way is not steep and rough. You are a God who does what is right, and you smooth out the path ahead of them.” – Isaiah 26:7 (NLT)“He Will Smooth Your Path” I was talking with one of my staff members today about how God shows up and provides in the most unusual of ways. When I was a pastor in PA, I took a church plant that was me...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“Trust in the LORD always, for the LORD GOD is the eternal Rock.” – Isaiah 26:4 (NLT)“Our Eternal Rock” One of the Christmas gifts I asked for and got this year is an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey that I can wear to games to show my support. Whose jersey did I get, you ask? My own. It’s got the number I wore in college (44) and my name across the back. The reason I d...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” – Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)“Perfect Peace” This is one of those verses that would be worth committing to memory. I laughed when I read the phrase “perfect peace” because every conversation I had at church today was about the CHAOS going on in people’s lives. Chaos with their health. ...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsIn that day the people will proclaim, “This is our God! We trusted in him, and he saved us! This is the LORD, in whom we trusted. Let us rejoice in the salvation he brings!” – Isaiah 25:9 (NLT)“Living in That Day” Faith is often difficult for us to have. It’s difficult because faith is believing in advance that which will only make sense looking back. Faith looks be...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears.” – Isaiah 25:7-8 (NLT)“A Future That’ll Make You Dance!” I was watching a video today of a 101-year-old woman celebrating her birthday. She had a crowd of friends and family who had gathered to celebr...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“There he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears.” – Isaiah 25:7-8 (NLT)“Do It Again TODAY, O Lord!” As I was reading some commentary background on our verses for today, there were two interpretations that popped up. Both are beautiful expressions an...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“For the oppressive acts of ruthless people are like a storm beating against a wall, or like the relentless heat of the desert. But you silence the roar of foreign nations. As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat, so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.” – Isaiah 25:4-5 (NLT)“The Secret to Being Unstoppable” I was working on my sermon for this Su...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O LORD, a tower of refuge to the needy in distress. You are a refuge from the storm and a shelter from the heat.” – Isaiah 25:4 (NLT)“The Storm Shelter” When we have guests visit us from other states, they often want to see videos of some of the big tornadoes that have come through here. And we’ve had a few. From the wides...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“But the LORD will have mercy on the descendants of Jacob. He will choose Israel as his special people once again. He will bring them back to settle once again in their own land. And people from many different nations will come and join them there and unite with the people of Israel.” – Isaiah 14:1 (NLT)“From a Mess to a Masterpiece” Our passage today from Isaiah is...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“Sing to the LORD, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world. Let all the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy! For great is the Holy One of Israel who lives among you.” – Isaiah 12:5-6 (NLT)“A Hard-Fought Hallelujah” I don’t watch the Grammys, but I did happen to see a video of the singer Jelly Roll giving his acceptance spee...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! In that wonderful day you will sing: ‘Thank the LORD! Praise his name! Tell the nations what he has done. Let them know how mighty he is!’” – Isaiah 12:3-4 (NLT)“Drinking Deeply” I want to key in on the first part of our passage today. “With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation!” Whe...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsIn that day you will sing: “I will praise you, O LORD! You were angry with me, but not any more. Now you comfort me. See, God has come to save me. I will trust in him and not be afraid. The LORD GOD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory.” – Isaiah 12:1-2 (NLT)“The Wonder of Transformation” Casey Diaz grew up in a violent environment in Southern Califor...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.” – Isaiah 11:2-3 (NLT)“Resting on the Spirit” Yesterday, we looked at how the Spirit of God rested on Jesus in all of His fullness. Jesus was filled with ...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.” – Isaiah 11:2-3 (NLT)“There Is No One Like Jesus” Our passage today continues the prophecy about the coming of Jesus. Jesus was unlike any “man of God” w...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.” – Isaiah 11:1 (NLT)“God’s Resurrection Power” Life from death. That’s a specialty of God’s. But I think we have a hard time really embracing and believing that. We seem to have faith that God can heal—make someone well who has been sick. I think many of us believe that God can w...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“In that day, the remnant of Israel, the survivors of Jacob, will no longer rely on him who struck them down but will truly rely on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. A remnant will return; a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God.” – Isaiah 10:20-21 (NLT)“The Remnants” There is a special place in heaven for people I call “the remnants.” They are the people w...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsThe Lord has sent a message against Jacob; it will fall on Israel. All the people will know it—Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—who say with pride and arrogance of heart, "The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars…But the people have not returned to him who struck t...

Powerful Words from the Prophets"Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this." – Isaiah 9:7 (NLT)“We Win!!” People who know me know that I’m a huge OKC Thunder fan. And as a heart ...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6 (NLT)“Tough And Tender” My youngest son, who is now a father himself, recently asked me, “What were some of the things you had to learn when you had kids?” I took some...