Isaiah 54– Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

…no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord. Isaiah 54:17 – This chapter is a summation of the wonderful promises that each follower of Jesus can expect from the Holy Spirit. That shame and humiliation will be removed, and our Maker that we felt deserted us will remind us that He is good and His steadfast love never departs from us. He will comfort in every storm and every enemy that raises their weapon against us will fail. We see that here in our passage above. While a weapon may come against us, it’s efforts won’t succeed. While slander may connect with our name, the Lord will take care of those who slander His people. Let us though not neglect this late sentence that closes out this promising chapter. All this, the blessings and promises, is for a certain group. Not just everybody, not just because you go to church or carry a Bible around with you. This is the promise and future for His servants and those who find their righteousness in Christ alone. Are you then truly a servant of the Lord and not just a Christian in name? Do you find your right standing with God in Christ alone, or do you feel your actions and efforts somehow have aided in making you right with God? We must understand that God is calling His people to be servants of His, one who is willing to follow His lead and commands always, even when the direction doesn’t make sense. God is also calling His people to trust in His saving work alone to be our vindication, our righteousness before God, and not our works, lest any man should boast. When a follower of God is here, positioned as a servant of the Lord with his righteousness in Christ alone, then they can enjoy fully this promised inheritance from our Heavenly Father. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: How might you be finding your right standing with God by some of your own efforts?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+54/

Daily DEVO 2721

Isaiah 53 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

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 53:5 – The entirety of this chapter is speaking of Jesus and the suffering that He would face on our behalf. While this verse is likely a more familiar passage to some, possibly one of the most familiar verses to us in all of Isaiah, let us remember what this familiar verse actually says. Jesus was pieced and crushed for our sin. The judgement of our sin came on Him and that is what brought us peace with God. And it was His wounds that brought us healing. It wasn’t our efforts of making it to church every Sunday that healed our sin. It wasn’t the promises we made to God nor the labels we carry in this world that healed us from the wounds of sin. It was the wounds of Jesus alone that brought us healing. Let us today find ourselves dwelling on and praising God for a Savior who was willing to be wounded on our behalf. Jesus saw us in our sin, and instead of rejecting us decided to be counted among us and took the weight on our sin upon His own shoulders so we could walk away free and healed. Praise Jesus, praise the Father, and Praise the Holy Spirit. We have healing from our sin because of our Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: When could you find time today to sit for a while to remember what God has done for you?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+53/

Daily DEVO 2720

Isaiah 52 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am. Isaiah 52:6 – The language of this verse is so promising! God is declaring His presence with His people and speaking about how in this day of salvation His people will know His name and know it is He who has spoken to them all along. While this is beautiful, there is a saddening element to it. For if God’s people would come to know in that day what His name was and come to know that it was Him who was speaking to them, that means there was a time when His people didn’t know such things. God’s own people didn’t know His name and didn’t know it was Him speaking to them. Their choice of idolatry had closed their heart and minds to the God who had first chosen them as His own. As a commentary I studied today put it, it sad to think that the lost world doesn’t know God, but how terrible is it when those who are God’s own people forget His name and His word to them. While I’m almost certain today if you are reading this, you haven’t forgotten the name “Jesus,” but has some of the names of our Lord outlined to us in His word been forgotten by you? That He is the Prince of Peace, that He is the Wonderful Counselor, that He is Emmanuel, God with us. Sin and the enemy can blind us to God’s presence with us and deafen us to the words God is speaking to us. Let us today come to really know the name of our Lord, and let His word to us be heard, understood, and followed by us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is a name scripture gives our Lord? How could remembering that name of our God impact your life?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+52/

Daily DEVO 2719

Isaiah 51 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations. Isaiah 51:6-8 – The truth outlined for us here is transformative to our life if we will embrace it. God is reminding us what will remain for all time and what won’t. As we look to the wonders of the heavens during the night, or if we look to the grander of the mountains and oceans of the earth, these seemingly unmovable, unending things will one day be gone. Also all those who dwell on earth will pass too, even the strong and powerful and wealthy and prideful. But…the salvation of the Lord will last forever and the righteousness of God will never be dismayed. God will never pass away. God will never fade. God is eternal and His power is forever. Why then do we fear what men may say about us and our life with God? Those that mock us for our faith will find their end like the earth and heavens. Listen, trust, and follow instead the One that remains forever. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What’s something non-eternal that we can believe will be with us forever?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+51/

Daily DEVO 2718

Isaiah 50 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the light of your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment. Isaiah 50:11 – Once again, Isaiah is prophetically speaking on behalf of the future Messiah. We see Isaiah speak of how the Messiah, our Lord Jesus, would come, be a servant to the Father, and give Himself willingly to be punished by sinful men for our behalf. We see scripture revealing how God was going to make a pathway for us back to Him through His Messiah. That Jesus would be the light and we could follow the light to the Father. In this final verse though, we see fire and light spoken of, but take note this isn’t the light of Jesus. The prophet speaks of people “kindling” their own fire, making their own light instead of trusting in the light Jesus provides. He tells those who carry their own torch and walk by the light of the fire they created themselves will find themselves lying down in torment. To put it more plainly, those who trust their lives to their works or in other things will find themselves not in safety and peace, but in pain and Hell. The only way to the Father is through following the light of Jesus. No “light” created by us or by the world will guide us and get us to the Father. It will only guide us a get us to death. There is only one name under Heaven given to all men that we can be saved through, and that name is Jesus. Follow the only light that will lead you to the Father. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is an example of a “fire” that the world may create to find their salvation in?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+50/

Daily DEVO 2717

Isaiah 49 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:15-16 – As you read through this chapter, we ought to read the Servant spoken of as the Messiah. This would have been the future Messiah in Isaiah’s day, and for us we know it to be Jesus. We see how God would use his Messiah to bring salvation to the world, and bring back His people to Himself. Our passage above reveals the Lord’s affections for His people. While it’s hard to imagine a nursing mother forgetting her baby and having no love or compassion for her baby, even still it could. Yet God says His mind is on us greater than that of a loving mother and her child. The Messiah, Jesus, would have us engraved on the palms of His hands to remind Him of us, and likely the nail scars in his hands would certainly do this. Our walls, meaning here the walls of Jerusalem, but also a picture of the life of those who look to God for salvation, are ever behind the Lord’s eyes. Let us walk away from this passage with a reminder of how deeply the Lord loves us and how we are ever on His mind. His compassion is greater for us than the greatest examples of compassion we can find on earth. His eyes are continually on us. As Psalm 8 records, what is man that you are mindful of us Lord? How are we so blessed to have a God like our God that cares so deeply for us and watches over us like this? Remember today you are on God’s mind and you are never forgotten by Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: How often is God on your mind and are His words ever before you?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+49/

Daily DEVO 2716

Isaiah 48 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me. Isaiah 48:18-19 – God now is speaking to His people of what could have been if they had only looked to Him and followed His voice. If they had truly been a people after God, the Lord tells them that their peace would have been like that of a flowing river. Continual and refreshing. That their righteousness would be like the waves of the sea. As unstoppable as a crashing ocean wave is, so would be God’s ability to make them holy in His sight. Finally, their name would never be cut off from Him and their children would be many and they would be blessed. This would have been their story, yet they turned to follow idols of wood and gold instead as their gods. Through Jesus we too are promised amazing things in scripture. Promises of a life of joy, peace, rest, and blessing as we look to Jesus and follow Him. We though, like the people in Isaiah’s day, can no pay attention to God’s word and follow the passions of the flesh. While we have such freedom to choose such a path, be aware of what we are saying no to when we say yes to sin. We are saying no to the life of purpose and blessing that comes with following Jesus. Let scripture speak for itself, choose this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is a promise in scripture the Lord gives to those who follow Him?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+48/

Daily DEVO 2715

Isaiah 47 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you. Isaiah‬ ‭47‬:‭15‬ ‭- God is speaking to the nation of Babylon that came against Israel. Mercilessly they overpowered Israel, and while God’s hand allowed Babylon to punish sinful Israel, Babylon took things too far and God was now speaking judgement over Babylon. Babylon was known for its occult practices and trust in evil spirits, so God was challenging Babylon to trust in these false gods and evil spirits to save them from Him. Yet none would be able to and none would even try. That last line reveals how hopeless their situation was, “there is no one to save you.” When it comes to God’s judgment on sin, there truly is nothing in this world that is able to save you from it. That line spoken to the Babylonians could be spoken over us, there is no one to save us. This would be true if all we were trusting in were things of the world, but praise the Lord we have a Savior that is not of this world. In Jesus, we have someone to save us. Jesus took the judgement of God upon Himself on the cross so now any who follow Him are saved from God’s wrath on their sin. Now instead of existing in a state of unholiness toward God the Father, because of Jesus we can be holy in the Father’s sight and be welcomed at His table. Know though if you are seeking a life with God and heaven once you die in anywhere other than Jesus, the message God spoke to the Babylonians is being spoken to you. You will find no one to save you. Yet, if you look to Jesus, you’ll find One who is mighty to save. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: How might someone feel when they hear that the thing they were trusting to save them can’t?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+47/

Daily DEVO 2714

Isaiah 46 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

…even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. Isaiah 46:4 – Before and after this verse, the Lord speaks of the idols made by men. How they are made with gold and worshipped but have to be carried by men and beast. The picture is that man is having to bring forth and carry his idols. Compare this though to the Lord and He reminds us that He is the one who created us, not the other way around. It is also Him that carries and saves us, not us carrying and saving Him. The questions then we must answer is do we want a god that we have to create and support or do we desire a God that created us and carries us? Do we want a god that we may be able to see with our eyes, but is unable to speak, hear, move, or act on our behalf, or to we want a God that is able see our pain, hear our cry, and powerfully save us? These questions are in front of us today. The Creator God, our creator and sustainer, is right in front of us to choose to follow, or we can choose some other thing to give our all to. Let’s make sure we choose the Lord to give our life to for we need a God that can carry us and that we don’t need to carry instead. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is an idol in our world today that people may trust in but they have to create for themselves first?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+46/

Daily DEVO 2713

Isaiah 45 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. Isaiah 45:12 – As we read through this chapter, God is repeating Himself in a few ways. He makes it clear to us over and over that He is the Creator. He is the one that made all things in Heaven and Earth. We also see repeated the truth that there is no other God outside of Him, besides Him there is no other that we can look to and find salvation. Why would God not only share those truths but repeat them to us? When we remember that He is the Creator of all things, we remember He has authority and power of all things. He has the authority to speak over all world powers and He has the power to control even the most violent of storms. When we remember that there is no other God outside of Him, we remember that it is pointless to be searching for help and strength in life’s trials anywhere other than God. Let us then keep such truths at the forefront of our minds. While seemingly simple truths, that God is the Creator and there is no other God beside Him, truths that we likely learned in Sunday School as a child, they are truths that shape our existence. Remember today that God is the one who formed you and created everything you see. Remember today that in a world that is grasping for your attention, that God is the only one that can save you. Praise Jesus that the One Creator God of all is mindful of us, loves us, and desires a life with us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: Why would you say it’s important to remember that God is the Creator?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+45/

Daily DEVO 2712

Isaiah 44 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. Isaiah 44:21-22 – Isaiah in verses 9-20 gives us one of the best descriptions of the foolishness of idolatry we find in scripture. He reminds us that idols are made by men, who they themselves grow hungry and weak. He points out how man will take a block of wood, half of it he’ll use to cook meat over, and the other half he’ll make an idol out of and worship it saying it’s his god and savior. After unpacking the foolishness of worshipping such idols, Isaiah calls us to remember all that God does in our story. God forms us, not the other way around. God remembers us. God blots out all our wrong, and God redeems us. I’m not seeing any blocks of wood doing that for us. Today, while I doubt many of you are woodcarving an idol to worship this morning, it is far too easy for us to find ourselves giving to things other than God what only God should receive. We can give a person in our life all our time, we can allow a job to give us our identity, and we can put all our trust in something temporary like money. Time, identity, trust, and worship ought to only be given to the Lord or defined by the Lord. Let’s us not fall into the trap of idolatry, but remember the truths about our God from our passage. He alone is worthy of our all. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What has been something that you’ve allowed in your story to receive from you what only God should receive?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+44/

Daily DEVO 2711

Isaiah 43 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19 – God, through Isaiah, is speaking to His people who have chosen sin over Him. Worshiping God had become a wearisome thing to them, and they had chosen to be blind and deaf to the truths of God’s law spoken over them. They had chosen idols to worship and other nations to rely on for help. God’s people were not acting like God’s people, but God was reminding here whose they were. They were His people, He created them, He saved them, and there is no Savior outside of Him. And while they in their past had chosen sin, God was calling them to forget their former actions and see the new thing He was doing. He was making a way back to Him. A way in the wilderness and a river in the desert, all so His people could be with their God. Yet a dwelling in and on the former sin would keep them from seeing and stepping into the new thing God was doing. That last sentence applies to God’s people of today as well. When our thoughts dwell only on the past failures and sin of our life, it makes it impossible for us to move into the new things God is doing in our midst. Yes, acknowledge that we have sinned, and understand where our weak spots with sin are, but also acknowledge and understand that when Jesus died on the cross, He covered all your sin with His blood. If you have sought Jesus for forgiveness of your sin, know you are fully, entirely, completely forgiven. Dwell not on the things of old, but behold the new things the Spirit is doing ahead of you. You are forgiven, live as such. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is a work of the Lord that could be hindered if we are dwelling too much on our past?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+43/

Daily DEVO 2710

Isaiah 42 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see! Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the Lord? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. Isaiah 42:18-20 – Here we see God speaking of His people Israel. They were deaf and they were blind. Not physically, but spiritually. They were seeing many things of God, but they didn’t actually take them in. They heard many things from God, but they didn’t actually listen to anything. We too can find ourselves with eyes and ears, but not seeing and hearing. Where God is displaying His power and love in front of us, but we aren’t actually seeing it. Where God is speaking to us through His word and His church, but we aren’t listening to what He is saying. Let us be different than that of the people in our passage. When God moves, let us not only see but be looking for it. When God speaks, let us not only listen but be expectant for His word to come. Not only will we have a posture of obedience to the Lord, but a longing to be obedient to our Lord. Be sure then today you are finding yourself in the word, in prayer, and under the teaching of the church so you can be receiving from the Lord in every avenue you can. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: When was the last time you approached God’s word with a real desire to hear from the Lord?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+42/

Daily DEVO 2709

Isaiah 41 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13 – What a promise to have from the Lord! When I first read this, the image that came to my mind was a father lovingly holding the hand of his little child. The child may be scared, but there is no need because dad is right there. We also see another beautiful layer to this if we connect this theme of God helpings us to some verses prior. In verse 7 we see idol makers fastening their idols down with nails after they are created, all for the purpose to make sure the idols won’t tip over or be moved. The message there is that with idols, it’s your hands having to hold them up, but with God, it’s His hands holding you up. No idol in our life is speaking to you saying I’ll hold your hand and help you, and least not with any honesty behind those words. Sure, the enemy may say such lines to you, but the reason he wants your hand is to pull you down to Hell with him, not to lift you to solid ground. Whose hand then are you holding? Are you supporting them or are they supporting you? God’s hand is available to take hold of today and He is already positioned to be a support for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What might you have to let go of to take hold of God’s hand?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+41/

Daily DEVO 2708

Isaiah 40 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? Isaiah 40:18 – This is a solid question we ought to ask ourselves as we progress through the seasons of life. What is God like? What in our world can we describe Him as? Of course we have earthly things that we can use to describe Him, but they all fall short. Father, like our earthly fathers, but God is far greater than any earthly father. We could use things of nature like wind and thunder to describe Him, but He not only is greater than those things, He controls them. Our passage speaks to such greatness of our God. That He holds the oceans of earth in the cup of hand. That the mightiest of nations are like the dust on a scales, something we count as nothing. What is there then on earth that we can liken our God to? Nothing…and that’s the point. There is nothing and no one like our God. He is greater, stronger, wiser, and more able than anything in all creation. Why is this an important concept about our God to be grounded in? Because in life we need something greater, strong, wiser, and more able than anything in all creation to trust in. We don’t need thunder, we need the God who controls the thunder. We can exist without our earthly fathers, but we can’t exist without our Heavenly Father. We need something more, and we find that in our God. Know today there is a God greater than all other things and this same God desires a life with you. He is working and desires your following of Him. Why follow anything less than the One who is greater than all? I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is something earthly you can liken God too and how does that thing fall short in it’s comparison?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+40/

Daily DEVO 2707

Isaiah 39 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” Isaiah 39:4 – In the fifteen years that God blessed Hezekiah with, we see the King of Babylon sent an envoy with gifts as a present to Hezekiah to celebrate his recovery. As one commentary stated, this would have been a big deal for the small kingdom of Judah to be recognized by the growing superpower Babylon. Hezekiah must have felt very special. So much so that he showed the Babylonians that came everything in his possession, nothing was left out. We can see though from Isaiah’s words to the Hezekiah, and the future Babylonian invasion, that this was not a wise move on the king’s part. When we also look at this with a spiritual lens, it becomes increasingly clearer why this was unwise. “Babylon” is often connected to sin and the power of Satan. Hezekiah allowed our spiritual enemy access to his life, to see everything, know everything, and be within everything. Let us not find ourselves allowing the enemy such access to our lives. For certain he will try to gain a foothold in areas of your life. Truthfully, he wants more than a foothold, he wants to sit on your living room couch, put his feet up, and raid your fridge. He wants control of your life, but we only have one Master. Be wise then how Satan and sin is being allowed into the different aspects of your life. How is sin finding its way into your family life? Your friends? Your entertainments? The more we invite the enemy into these areas of our life, the more he sees and the more control he is given. Instead, allow and welcome the Spirit of the Lord in every area of your life, giving Him the ultimate control of such things. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is an area of your life that someone other than God has more control of?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+39/

Daily DEVO 2706

Isaiah 38 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

The Lord will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the Lord. Isaiah 38:20 – We are presented in scripture a unique story where King Hezekiah, during the Assyrian invasion, is told by the Lord that he would die due to a sickness that he was battling. After prayer and requesting of the Lord for healing, God prolonged Hezekiah’s life by fifteen years. What caught my eye as I was reading verse 20 was the confidence in Hezekiah. The Lord “will” save me. He knew that the Lord would do what He said, and He knew that this healing would take place because the Lord had spoken. That though wasn’t the only “will” statement found in the verse. He goes on and says and we “will” play for the Lord all the days of our lives. Hezekiah, unlike anyone else on earth, actually knew how long he had to live. 15 years, 5475 day. Do you know what Hezekiah’s plans were for each of those 5475 days? To play music for the Lord at His house. He knew God would save him and he knew he would praise Him. For us we know that God saves us. We know what He has done and we know what He will do, and we have firm confidence in that. Yet is there a firm confidence in what WE will do all the days of our life? Will we worship Him all the days of our life? Will we serve Him all the days of our life? God is showing us a steady faithfulness to us for all the days of our life on earth and beyond, what are we committing to be steady in for Him all the days of our life and beyond? I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is something scripture teaches us God will provide every day of our life?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+35/

Daily DEVO 2705

Isaiah 37 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria…“ ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭37‬:‭21‬ ‭‭- The king of Judah, Hezekiah, has heard the enemy’s message of destruction that was promised to come his way. Terrified and aware his own power would never be enough to stand against such an enemy, Hezekiah brings this whole situation to the Lord in prayer. We also see the end result within this chapter of God rescuing His people and destroying their enemy in a mighty way. Take note though of God’s response to Hezekiah. “Because you have prayed to me.” All that took place, the rescue of God’s people and the destruction of the enemy, took place because Hezekiah prayed. Meaning if the king didn’t come before the Lord and didn’t pray, we would likely have seen a very different ending to this story. Know and believe your prayers matter. Also know and believe the absence of your prayers matters. Prayer is the space in which we get to approach the Lord of All and speak with Him as our Father. He hears, He moves, and He also will withhold if our posture isn’t about coming to Him. Come to the Father, bring your requests before Him, His eyes and ears are attentive to the prayer that is made by His people. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What might have not happened in your story if you didn’t pray about it first?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+37/

Daily DEVO 2704

Isaiah 36 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer's Field. Isaiah‬ ‭36‬:‭2‬ ‭- Finally the words of Isaiah to Judah are taking place. The Assyrian king sent his Rabshakeh, a trusted servant, to proclaim to Judah how pitiful trusting in Egypt or God would be when his king came to attack them. We see from our passage that the enemy came and stood by the upper pool, one of the main water sources for the city, to proclaim this speech. This was a strategic move. The enemy was making it clear that he was able to easily go through their defenses, come right up to a main water supply, and not even be tripped up at all. If they couldn’t stop him from walking right up to a vital part of their city like this, then they couldn’t stop the enemy army when they came. Know our enemy will play this game too. He’ll move strategically and use those moves to convince you he’s unstoppable in your life. “See how I got you to trip up in that again?”

“See how I was able to influence your friend into sin? You have no chance against me!” Our enemy will use every trick in his dusty old book to foster a belief in your heart that he can’t be stopped. But he easily can be stopped by our Savior. Yes, he may be able to come past our guard and stand by our upper pool, but he can’t defeat our God. Trust in the Lord in the power of His might and see the salvation of the Lord on the day the enemy begins his approach. God always wins. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: What is a scripture that reveals God’s power?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+36/

Daily DEVO 2703

Isaiah 35 – Pastor Mac Daily DEVO

And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭35‬:‭8‬ ‭– Here we are reading about the beautiful result that God will bring beyond the judgement of those oppressing His people and those who have chosen sin over Him. He speaks of creating a highway, a path above the rugged terrain that is designated only for those who are holy. It will be a way for the holy to approach the Father. No one in there sin can be on this path, and no enemy will snatch us from it either. Know for us today this Way of Holiness is Jesus. He is our way, truth, and life. Through Him we have access to the Father, and no one in their sin can approach the holiness of God. But with Jesus, the path is clear and the way is straight to the Father. The question is would you be allowed on this way of holiness? What would be your answer if asked why you should be allowed to be on it? Because you’re a good person? Because you’ve gone to church your whole life? Neither will cut it. Only through the saving love and grace of Jesus can we find ourselves on the holy path to Heaven. Be sure you know this Savior who has made it possible for you to be with God the Father. I love you, but Jesus loves you more - Mac

Question To Ponder: When was the last time you thanked the Lord for your salvation?

Link To Full Chapter

https://www.esv.org/Isaiah+35/

Daily DEVO 2702