DONNIE DAILY GEMS FOR TUESDAY AUGUST 9:
WORD OF WISDOM
. Velcro - what a rip off!
___
DAILY DEVOTION
God is Faithful
Our God is a promise-keeping God? Others may make a promise and forget it.
But if God makes a promise, he keeps it. The Book of Hebrews announces, "God
has given both his promise and his oath" (Hebrews 6:18). The scripture goes
on to say, "He who promised is faithful" (Hebrews 10:23).
Does this matter? Does God's integrity make a difference? Does his
faithfulness come into play? When your daughter is on life support, it does.
When you are pacing the ER floor, it does. When you are wondering what to do
with your worst nightmare, you have to choose. Faith or fear, God's purpose
or random history, a God who knows and cares, or a God who isn't there?
We all choose. Choose to trust God's promises. Choose to believe that God is
up to something good, even though all you see looks bad. Choose to believe
because God is faithful!
___
DAILY BIBLE READING
Isaiah 61-63Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
The Lord's Message of Freedom
61 The Spirit of the Lord God is on me. The Lord has chosen me to tell good
news to the poor and to comfort those who are sad. He sent me to tell the
captives and prisoners that they have been set free. 2 He sent me to
announce that the time has come for the Lord to show his kindness, when our
God will also punish evil people. He has sent me to comfort those who are
sad, 3 those in Zion who mourn. I will take away the ashes on their head,
and I will give them a crown. I will take away their sadness, and I will
give them the oil of happiness. I will take away their sorrow, and I will
give them celebration clothes. He sent me to name them 'Good Trees' and 'The
Lord's Wonderful Plant.'
4 Then the old cities that were destroyed will be rebuilt. Those ancient
ruins will be made new, as they were in the beginning.
5 Then your enemies will come to care for your sheep, and their children
will work in your fields and in your gardens. 6 You will be called, 'The
Lord's Priests,' 'The Servants of our God.' You will be proud of all the
riches that have come to you from all the nations on earth.
7 In the past, other people shamed you and said bad things to you. You were
shamed much more than any other people. So in your land you will get two
times more than other people. You will get the joy that continues forever. 8
That's because I am the Lord and I love justice. I hate stealing and
everything that is wrong. So I will give the people what they deserve. I
will make an agreement with my people forever. 9 Their descendants will be
known throughout the earth, and everyone will know their children. Whoever
sees them will know that the Lord has blessed them.
God's Servant Brings Salvation
10
The Lord makes me very happy.
I am completely happy with my God.
He dressed me in the clothes of salvation.
He put the victory coat on me.
I look like a man dressed for his wedding,
like a bride covered with jewels.
11
The earth causes plants to grow,
and a garden makes the seeds planted there rise up.
In the same way, the Lord God will make goodness and praise
grow throughout the nations.
New Jerusalem: A City Full of Goodness
62 I love Zion,
so I will continue to speak for her.
I love Jerusalem,
so I will not stop speaking.
I will speak until goodness[a] shines like a bright light,
until salvation burns bright like a flame.
2
Then all nations will see your goodness.
All kings will see your honor.
Then you will have a new name
that the Lord himself will give you.
3
You will be like a beautiful crown that the Lord holds up,
like a king's crown in the hand of your God.
4
You will never again be called 'The People God Left.'
Your land will never again be called 'The Land God Destroyed.'
You will be called 'The People God Loves.'
Your land will be called 'God's Bride,'
because the Lord loves you,
and your land will be his.[b]
5
As a young man takes a bride and she belongs to him,
so your land will belong to your children.[c]
As a man is happy with his new wife,
so your God will be happy with you.
6
Jerusalem, I put guards on your walls.
They will not be silent.
They will keep praying day and night.
Guards, keep praying to the Lord.
Remind him of his promise.
Don't ever stop praying.
7
Don't give him any rest until he rebuilds Jerusalem
and makes it a place that everyone on earth will praise.
8
The Lord made a promise and guaranteed it by his own power.
And he will use that power to keep his promise.
The Lord said, "I promise that I will never again give your food to your
enemies.
I promise that they will never again take the wine you make.
9
Whoever gathers the food will eat it and praise the Lord.
Whoever gathers the grape will drink the wine in the courtyards of my
Temple."
10
Come through the gates!
Clear the way for the people!
Prepare the road!
Move all the stones off the road!
Raise a flag as a sign for the nations!
11
Listen, the Lord is speaking
to all the faraway lands:
"Tell the people of Zion,
'Look, your Savior is coming.
He is bringing your reward to you.
He is bringing it with him.'"
12
His people will be called "The Holy People,"
"The Saved People of the Lord."
And you, Jerusalem, will be called "The City God Wants,"
"The City God Is With."
The Lord Punishes the Nations
63 Who is this coming from Edom,
from the city of Bozrah?
His clothes are stained bright red.
He is glorious in his clothes.
He is walking tall with his great power.
He says, "I have the power to save you,
and I speak the truth."
2
"Why are your clothes bright red?
They are like the clothes of someone who tramples grapes to make wine."
3
He answers, "I walked in the winepress by myself.
No one helped me.
I was angry, and I trampled the grapes.
The juice[d] splashed on my clothes, so now they are stained.
4
I chose a time to punish people.
Now the time has come for me to save and protect my people.
5
I looked around, but I saw no one to help me.
I was surprised that no one supported me.
So I used my own power to save my people.
My own anger supported me.
6
In my anger I trampled down the nations.
I punished them in anger and spilled their blood[e] on the ground."
The Lord Has Been Kind to His People
7
I will remember the kind things the Lord has done,
and I will remember to praise him.
The Lord has given many good things
to the family of Israel.
He has been very kind to us.
He has shown us mercy.
8
He said, "These are my people.
These are my real children."
So he saved them.
9
The people had many troubles,
but he was not against them.
He loved them and felt sorry for them,
so he saved them.
He sent his special angel to save them.
He picked them up and carried them, just as he did long ago.
10
But they turned against him
and made his Holy Spirit very sad.
So the Lord became their enemy
and fought against them.
11
Then they remembered what happened long ago.
They remembered Moses and those with him.
So where is the one who brought them through the sea
along with the shepherds who led his flock?
Where is the one
who sent his Holy Spirit to live among them?
12
He was by Moses' side and led him with his wonderful hand.
He divided the water,
so that the people could walk through the sea.
He made his name famous
by doing those great things.
13
He led the people through the deep sea.
Like a horse running through the desert,
they walked without falling.
14
Like cattle going down to the valley,
The Spirit of the Lord led them.
This is how you led your people
and made your name wonderful.
A Prayer for God to Help His People
15
Please, look down from the heavens.
See what is happening now.
Look down at us from your great and holy home in heaven.
Where is your strong love[f] for us?
Where is your compassion?
Why are you hiding your kind love from me?
16
Look, you are our father!
Abraham does not know us.
Israel does not recognize us.
Lord, you are our father!
You are the one who has always saved us!
17
Lord, why are you pushing us away from you?
Why are you making it hard for us to follow you?
Come back to us!
We are your servants.
Come to us and help us!
Our tribes belong to you.
18
Your holy people had their land only a short time.
Then our enemies trampled down your holy Temple.
19
Some people don't follow you.
They don't wear your name.
And we have been like them
for a very long time.
Footnotes:
a.Isaiah 62:1 goodness Or "victory."
b.Isaiah 62:4 your land . his Or "He will marry your land." This is a
wordplay. The Hebrew word also means "He will be the lord of the land."
c.Isaiah 62:5 your land . children Or "Your builders will marry you."
d.Isaiah 63:3 juice Or "strong drink" or "blood."
e.Isaiah 63:6 blood Or "strong drink" or "strength."
f.Isaiah 63:15 strong love The Hebrew word means strong feelings like love,
hate, anger, zeal, or jealousy.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright C 2006 by Bible League International
