Tag Archives: Isaiah

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

The Future of Peace in Isaiah 4’s Promise

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The future is coming.

Well, the future is coming. It may be unsettling, but we can not stop it from coming. The good news for Christians, the future will be glorious. At the end, the Lord will be victorious.

Isaiah had many unsettling things to say, but the Lord promised through Isaiah, a future of peace and rest.

Isaiah 4:5-6 says, “Then the Lord will create, over all of Mount Zion, and over those who assemble there a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night. Over everything, the glory will be a canopy. It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.”

Israel did not fully experience this when they returned out of exile, nor have we fully experienced it today. But the Lord promises he will create for us an eternal dwelling of peace and rest. The toil of this life, for Christ’s followers, will give way to peace and rest in the future.

The future is coming. We can’t stop it, but we can rest assured it will be a time of peace and rest.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Isaiah 43: Comfort in Life’s Hardships

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Life has a way of throwing us into the deep end, doesn’t it? Some days feel like a gentle breeze, and others hit like a storm. Maybe you’re facing a health scare, a broken relationship, financial strain, or just the heavy weight of uncertainty. Whatever it is, challenges have a way of making us feel like we’re walking alone—like God is distant or silent.

But He’s not.

Isaiah 43 offers a beautiful reminder that we are never truly alone in the midst of trials. Right from the beginning of the chapter, God speaks directly to our hearts: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine” (Isaiah 43:1). That’s personal. That’s intimate. God knows you by name. Not just as part of a crowd, not just as one of many, but as His.

One of the most comforting verses in this chapter says, “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” (Isaiah 43:2).

Did you catch that? It doesn’t say if you pass through the waters or if you walk through the fire—it says when. Hardships are a part of life. But so is God’s presence in them.

God doesn’t promise an easy road. What He promises is His presence. He doesn’t always pull us out of the fire, but He does promise to walk through it with us. Just like He was with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3), He walks right into the heat of our challenges with us.

And that changes everything.

Knowing God is with us gives us strength we didn’t know we had. It anchors our hope. It reminds us that even in our worst moments, we are not abandoned. He’s there—in the doctor’s office, in the courtroom, in the quiet of your car after hard news, in the dark moments when no one else sees.

The reason He walks with us is because we belong to Him. Isaiah 43:4 says, “Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you…” That’s the heart of the Father. He doesn’t walk with us out of obligation—He does it out of love.

So if you’re in a tough season right now, take heart. The water may feel like it’s rising, and the fire may seem overwhelming—but you’re not alone. The Lord is with you. He’s not pacing the shoreline hoping you make it. He’s in the storm beside you, whispering, “I’ve got you. You’re mine.”

Lean on Him. Rest in His promise. And take your next step knowing He walks with you through it all.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Isaiah’s Message: Strength for the Weary

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Rest is on the way.

Isaiah was looking ahead to a time of rest and peace for God’s people. In doing so, he says the Lord will provide strength and energy for his people.

Isaiah 40:29-31 says, “He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will sore high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah reminds us those who trust the Lord will find new strength. They will find their strength in the Lord.

He exchanges our strength for his. The Lord helps us make it through our lives. The good and bad times. The Creator and Holder of the stars gives us strength.

“Look up into the heavens,” Isaiah 40:26 suggests. “Who created all the stars? He brings them out like an army: one after another, calling each by its name because of his great power and incomparable strength. Not a single one is missing.”

We draw our strength from the one who will never grow weary. Isaiah 40:28 reminds us the Lord is the Creator of the earth. He is everlasting.

Life is tiring. The headlines we see and problems we encounter zap our strength, but they are no match for the Lord’s. We are promised the Lord will give us his strength. The Lord will renew our strength each day to take on that day’s challenges. His strength never runs out, so hopefully, we will always remember to draw upon it.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

His Invitation

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Everyone has made mistakes. When we look back at the past, we can beat ourselves up for a lot. We are all in need of grace.

And, the good news is Jesus offers us grace.

He has done a lot for us. From standing silent before his accusers to removing our guilt, Jesus brings much grace to us.

Isaiah writes, “Yet it was our weaknesses that he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down, and we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins. But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole; he was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own, yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

All of this was so he could bring us grace. “But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief, yet when his life is made an offering for sin, he will have many descendants, he will enjoy a long life, and the Lord’s good plan will prosper in his hands. When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied, and because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous. For he will bear all their sins” (Isaiah 53:10-11).

Jesus came knowing all of this was going to be done, and he didn’t back away from any of it. He went through with the Lord’s plan so he could bring us grace, and he invites us to come and find peace with him.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Silent for Us

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He was innocent, yet the people brought many false charges against him. The Roman official couldn’t find any reason to charge him, so he gave the people a choice. Who did they want released? The innocent or a known murderer were the options, and the people shouted for the murderer to go free.

The trial came, and he remained silent. He offered no defense or accusation against his accusers. He was silent through it all: the trial, the verdict, and the punishment. He was innocent, but he remained silent for us.

Why did he remain silent?

“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream, but he was struck down for the rebellion of my people” (Isaiah 53:7-8).

His silence was a gift to us. He was innocent, but no one else was, so Jesus exchanged places with the guilty; Jesus exchanges places with all of us so we could find peace with God. He did this all for us.

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For Us

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He came from the Father full of grace and truth. He was full of mercy and love. His compassion ran deep, and his actions for us were bold. For us, his love was immeasurable, and he did what only he could do.

  • For us, he carried weaknesses and sorrows that did not belong to him. They were ours, but he carried them for us (Isaiah 53:4).
  • For us, he was beaten so we could be whole; he was whipped, so we could be healed (Isaiah 53:5).
  • For us, he was pierced and crushed (Isaiah 53:5).
  • For us, he was unjustly condemned (Isaiah 53:8).

He is Jesus, and his love for us compelled him to help us by doing what only he could do. He took our guilt so we could have peace.

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Exchanging Gifts

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Many people will be at the store the day after Christmas exchanging gifts. It is normal to receive a gift that is the wrong color, wrong size, or in some cases, just not desirable. Making these exchanges has become part of the Christmas tradition. Stores may even have extra staff to ensure the lines at the return counter do not become too long. Gifts can go back, and we can leave the store with something even better. There are many things in life we may desire to exchange, especially from the past couple years.

Gloomy is a description of many events from the past couple years. From global headlines to personal tragedies, there has been much in the way of bad news. Absorbing it all is burdensome and weary. It leaves us longing for rest just like the Israelites in Isaiah’s day.

Isaiah was delivering the Lord’s message to people amid much gloom and despair. They were toiling physically, probably spent emotionally, and struggling spiritually. Amid it all, the Lord sends Isaiah to bring hope of rest.

In chapter 9, Isaiah reminds the people this gloom will not go on forever. A different day is coming; a rest like none other is coming. Verses 6-7 say, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders, and he will be called wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s armies will make this happen.”

Though these words were spoken hundreds of years before Jesus’ birth, they point directly to him. Israel was on the lookout for a political messiah. Someone who would establish rule and slam their enemies to the ground, but God had a different plan. God was working to establish an eternal rest. This would not be a rest just for the Israelites, but it would be a rest for you and me. This rest would not be temporary but eternal, and on Christmas day, the child that brings this rest arrived.

His arrival was not in a grand fashion, but he sure made a grand difference.

As you read this today, you may feel like the Israelites. Physically, you are toiling and don’t know how you are going to have the strength to continue. Emotionally, you may be spent, and your spiritual life is a constant struggle. As Isaiah says, the Lord offers rest to you. Jesus, in Matthew 11:28-30, invites us to exchange all of this weariness for his rest and peace. Allow this exchange to happen. Trade your gloom for peace, your despair for hope in Jesus.

Host of the Dwell On These Things podcast John Stange goes deeper into this concept in this episode. Check it out!

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Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Hard But Worth It

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“Trust the Lord,” Scripture says.

It may be the hardest thing we do, but it can also be the most rewarding. It may be made even more difficult by our life experience. Our heartbreaks suffered by trusting other people may have taught us we shouldn’t trust anyone, yet the Bible helps us see we can trust the Lord.

Isaiah 26:4 says, “Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

Unlike others, the Lord is our eternal rock. He is unshakable, unmovable, and unchangeable. He will not lead us astray or walk out on us, so we can trust him and count on him to be there for us. We can trust him to be there, keeping his promises, and doing what he says he will do. “Trust in the Lord,” Scripture says, and…

  • You will have peace as the Lord can provided peace in Christ Jesus that goes beyond human understanding.
  • Your paths in life will be straight as the Lord guides your steps and directs your movements.
  • You will have a fullness of life that can only be found in Christ Jesus.
  • You will have an eternal place prepared by Jesus. He says, “I am going to prepare a place for you, and if I prepare a place for you, I will come back to take you with me so you also may be where I am.”

It may be hard, but it is certainly rewarding to trust in the Lord.

Bible Study, Christian Life, Devotional, Encouragement, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Have You Been Waiting?

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Episodes of Get Encouraged are available on Spotify!

Have you been waiting? This can be one of the most difficult parts of life. We live in a super connected world, so if we have to wait longer than 10 seconds for anything, it is hard. Yet, our lives sometimes take us down paths that require us to wait.

We have to wait to see if we’re going to get our dream job. We have to wait to meet the person we desire to marry. We have to wait as we’re trying to have a family. We have to wait on our prayers to be answered.

The people of Israel also had to wait. They find themselves in a hard time. Their bondage has been harsh, and they have suffered immensely. They are needing and wanting the Lord to work, but they have to wait. As they wait, Isaiah brings encouragement, and it is still encouragement for us today.

Isaiah 64:4 says, “For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!”

Hang in there if you’re waiting. Psalm 27:14 encourages, “Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.” The Bible promises the Lord is working on your behalf.