Skip to content

Posts tagged ‘encouragement’

Aug 30

Isaiah 40:30

Isaiah DeclarationsSunday, August 30, 2020

“Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion.” (NLT)
“Even the youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall.” (KJV)

Personal note: At almost 70, I “get this”. As a youth, I could stay up to all hours, find energy whenever I needed it, and accomplish great physical effort. I might have slowed down in my physiology, but inside, I’m stronger than ever. How is that? Decades of learning to yield to the Lord’s wisdom, taking my burdens to Him, trying to keep my heart pure, and believing in Him and His promises makes me stand in His strength. We understand weak, tired, faint, weary, but I was intrigued with stumble and fall. They are actually the same Hebrew word, kashal, meaning stagger, totter, fail, failing, and bring you down. Stumble is used to express intensity or certainty and fall is an incomplete action: past, present or future. (Food for thought.)

  • Thank You, Lord, You are always there to pick us up when we fall. All we need to do is look up and take Your outstretched hand. Your faithful love endures forever. (Ps 136:12)
  • You, Who are without age, understand our frailty. Our Jesus was tired. He was hungry. He was hurt and disappointed. But, thanks be to Your eternal plan, He was despised, rejected, and acquainted with grief, and suffered in our place. He rose and we will too. (Isaiah 53) Hallelujah!
  • Father, in these days of confusion and generational division, You know our needs. Strengthen us. Lead us to an oasis of love and peace and certainty in You. And from that place, help us to guide and strengthen the younger generation.
  • Encourage us to be a helping hand as an extension of Yours. As You lift our burdens, show us where we can lift burdens off others. Give us Your language of love to communicate with those who are weak and weary.
  • Teach us how to be mothers and sisters, aunts and godmothers. Purify our hearts and thoughts. Help us to think outside the box of rules and the way things have always been done to find ways to lift their spirits, engage their faith, and show them a better way. (1 Tim 5:2)
  • In the mighty name of Jesus, we bind confusion, false teaching and doctrines, and the rebellious spirit of this present age, we loose heaven’s power to fight every spirit that seeks to overthrow righteousness, peace and joy. May Your Kingdom come! (Rom 14:17)

Aug 29

Isaiah 40:29

Isaiah DeclarationsSaturday, August 29, 2020

“He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless.”

Personal note: I looked up that word, “power” in Hebrew. It’s koah and other than strength, power and might, it can mean a small lizard. I did a little more research and the koah is known as a desert monitor. It hibernates quite a bit and spends most of its time underground. They are cold-blooded and need the sun to warm their bodies. So, how does power and strength apply here? Well, when we’re down-and-out, having little hope, what do most people do? They hide.

  • How marvelous You are, Lord, to constantly be watching over us, seeking our company, and desiring Your perfect plan for our lives. (Jer 29:11)
  • When we are weak, YOU are strong. (2 Cor 13:9) When our energy is zapped and we can’t go on, You are there to pick us up and point the way forward. Jesus, You are the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE. (John 14:6)
  • Today we lift up those who are discouraged, those who are under demonic attack, those who suffer from illness, those who have painful relationships, and we ask for Your presence and comfort in the their lives.
  • Raise up warriors and heroes to speak for those who can’t find their voice or have cried so long, their cries are no longer heard. You hear every cry and You treasure every tear. (Ps 56:8) Inflame our hearts towards righteousness and truth. Help us to be Your hands and feet.
  • Expand our hearts with Your compassion. Provide opportunities to show Your love.
  • You never tire. You are never weary or faint, but You know our frailty. We need Your encouragement to go on, to climb higher, and to reach further for ourselves and others.

Aug 24

Isaiah 40:24

Isaiah DeclarationsMonday, August 24, 2020

“They hardly get started, barely taking root, when he blows on them and they wither. The wind carries them off like chaff.”

Personal note: I could go in three directions with this verse. First, at the Lord’s obvious derision for “great people” or princes of the world from the previous verse. Second, the Parable of the Sower and Weeds in Matthew 13. But I zeroed in on the word, “chaff”. I looked up the definition: 1) the husks of corn or other seed separated by threshing or winnowing, 2) chopped hay and straw used as fodder (feed for cattle and other livestock, 3) worthless things, trash. The Hebrew word is qash and means stubble or chaff and in this verse is used as a simile for driven by wind.

  • Oh, Lord, there is nothing of merit or long-standing value that can stand against Your hand or Your breath if You aren’t in it. Forgive us when we try to do things in our own strength. We recognize Your gifts of intelligence, skill, and talent, but most especially the “heart” to do or create that’s given to us through Your DNA.
  • Monuments age with time. Treasure gathered and horded is eventually lost or buried, left to be found by someone else if at all. This life can be meaningless or filled with purpose. Give us insight, courage, and fortitude to put our hands to the plow in what You’ve called us to. Keep us on Your path of righteous living. Provide opportunity and materials, tools and training, vision and design.
  • Your greatest gift to us is Your love. Magnify Yourself in us, Lord. May Your heart beat louder in us. How can we express our love back to You? Teach us to number our days. (Ps 90:12) Help us to pay attention (Prv 2:2). Give us a heart for others (Heb 12:14) Abide in us, that we may love others as You love us. (1 Jn 4:16)
  • In the end, we recognize that it’s not how much we have, nor what we accomplish, but we will be judged on how well we loved one another as well as the stranger. We’d rather be judged in this life! Correct us. Convict us. Caution us. Guide us daily. (Mt 7:2)

Aug 11

Isaiah 40:11

Isaiah 40Tuesday, August 11, 2020

“He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.”

Personal note:  Many years ago as my daughter-in-laws began to bear children, this verse really spoke to me. I claimed it as a promise for them and for my grandchildren. Psalm 23 begins with “The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want.” There is no statement more true in the Word than this. This prayer affirms our confidence in His loving care for our every need.

  • Your Word is heavenly manna to us. Thank You for feeding us with Your truth, Your promises, Your encouragement, and Your wisdom. (John 6:22-39)
  • You are the Good Shepherd. Protect us from outside attacks, help us to beware of traps, alert us to danger, and point us in the right direction. (Psalm 27:11)
  • Cause our ears to hear Your call and respond the first time. Quicken our spirits to pick up on Your nuances. Whether You shout or gently whisper, open our listening hearts to Your words. (1 Kings 19:12)
  • As we lean in to You, help us to love You more. Let us hear Your heartbeat for our families, our friends, and our neighbors. Use our hands and feet as well as our words to encourage, to share wisdom, and point them to You. (Mark 12:33)
  • For those prodigals, we appeal to Your heart. Use these uncertain times to help them find certainty in You. Jesus, Your parable told us of Your great heart for the lost and Your willingness to leave the ninety-nine for the one. Today we lift up the “one” in our own lives. (Matthew 18:12)
  • Out of the mouths of babes You have ordained praise. You caution us to not hurt them or hold them back from You. Give us great grace and knowledge to raise them in the knowledge of God. (Luke 18:16)
  • Children are indeed our heritage and reward from You. Give us wisdom for every special need they have. (Psalm 127:3)
  • We ask for heavenly assistance for the mothers of the world. Send Your angels to protect and minister to them. Holy Spirit, be their Comforter/Advisor/Teacher. Father, we ask that You cause each one to fulfill Your destiny and purpose in their lives. (Psalm 91:11)
  • Strengthen marriages. Reduce stress. Bring financial blessing. Cause husbands and wives to obey You in all things that it may be well with their children. (Numbers 6:22-26)

 

Nov 2

Proverbs 1: Forward Progress

Last night I was really touched by two verses in Proverbs 1:

v 23 “Turn to my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you.” and v 33 “But he who listens to me shall live securely, And shall be at ease from the dread of evil.” Read more

« Older Entries
%d bloggers like this: