Podcasts about bible reading isaiah

Bible Reading: Isaiah 6:1-13 Key Passage: Isaiah 6:1-8

Proclamation Against Babylon

Bible Reading: Isaiah 64:6-7; Ephesians 2:8-10 "All right!" Oliver exclaimed as his mom presented him with a pair of bright new sneakers. "They're just what I wanted!""I'm glad you like them," said Mom. "But let's try to keep them clean. Save them for school or when you're out with your friends. You have plenty of old shoes to wear when you're in the yard or playing basketball at the park.""Okay, Mom," Oliver said as he put on the new shoes. He did remember to be careful with them for a while, but one day when he came into the house, he left a trail of muddy tracks through the kitchen. "Stop right there, Oliver! Oh, your new sneakers--they're a mess!" Mom pointed to his mud-caked shoes."I'm sorry, Mom," said Oliver. "I forgot I had them on. Mrs. Alberts needed help in her garden, and I guess I went a little bonkers with the garden hose."Mom sighed, shaking her head. "It was nice of you to help her, Oliver, but in spite of your good deed, your shoes are still dirty.""Yeah." Oliver looked down at his feet and sighed. "They look pretty bad." Then he smiled. "It's kinda like the verse we learned at church last week. My teacher said it's easy to think that the good things we do can cover up the wrong things we've done. But the verse we learned says our good deeds are like dirty rags--or in this case, dirty sneakers. They can't make us clean.""That's right," Mom said. "Nothing we do can ever clean up the sin in our lives. That's why we need Jesus." She bent over to help Oliver pull off his dirty shoes. "Jesus promises that when we confess our sins to Him, He will forgive us and wash us white as snow." "Can you forgive me too, Mom?"Mom smiled. "Of course I'll forgive you, Oliver.""I'll try to be more careful." Oliver looked at his muddy shoes. "Will you make my sneakers clean again?" "Not as clean as Jesus can make your heart," said Mom. "But I'll do my best. Bring them over to the sink and I'll check the cleaning supply cabinet."–Nathan Runyon How About You?Do you ever feel like your life resembles a pair of dirty sneakers? Do you think if you do enough good things you can make up for the stuff you do wrong? The Bible says that good deeds are never enough. Only Jesus can cleanse your heart and replace your wrongs with His right. Confess your sin to Him today and be forgiven. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)Today's Key Verse:We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. (NLT) (Isaiah 64:6)Today's Key Thought:Good deeds won't cover up sin

The victory of death and the enemy (satan and his evil angels) is won by God and is salvation for all people who put their trust in Him.

The last of Isaiah's accounts of the Suffering Servant, telling us about Jesus and how He would come to serve and win new life for us.

Bible Reading: Isaiah 61:1-3, 10-11; Colossians 1:9-10"This giant oak tree is what gave Oak Park its name," the tour guide told the kids on their field trip. Elijah listened attentively. He loved history and learning things like this.Back home later that day, Elijah told his mom about the tour. "That big oak tree survived the Civil War, a flood, and six fires," he said. "Wow!" said Mom. "That's amazing.""It kept on growing," said Elijah, "even though the odds were a hundred to one against it. The oak is one of the slowest-growing trees in the world, but it's also one of the strongest. It survives things that cause other trees to die.""Hmm," said Mom. "You know, Elijah, you're something like that tree." Elijah was surprised. "Me? I didn't survive a war or a flood or even one fire--let alone six!"Mom laughed. "No, but I still think you're like that tree.""How?" asked Elijah."Well," said Mom, "for one thing, the oak grows slowly, and you--"Elijah interrupted her. "You always say I'm growing up too fast!" Mom smiled. "That's true--physically. But I was thinking of the way most of us grow spiritually. As Christians, it's often easy to wonder if we're making any progress in becoming more like Jesus." Elijah nodded as he recalled some trouble he'd gotten into recently. "You may grow slowly in Christ," said Mom, "but like that oak, you do grow steadily. And you survive worse things than war or floods. You survive attacks from Satan and struggles with temptation.""But I still do wrong things," Elijah pointed out.Mom nodded. "I know--I do too. All Christians give in to temptation and sin sometimes. But the fact that you feel bad when you sin--and that you don't want to do it again--shows that you're continuing to grow.""Really?" Elijah smiled. "That's pretty cool.""Have faith that God is working to make you grow to be more like Jesus," Mom told him. "Keep working with Him by admitting when you sin and trusting Him to help you change your habits--even when the growing gets tough!" –Nathan RunyonHow About You?Do you ever wonder if you're growing spiritually? If you're a Christian, God is always working in your heart to make you more like Jesus--even when it's hard for you to detect. When you do something wrong, confess your sin and ask God for forgiveness. Then look to Him for the strength you need to resist temptation, and trust Him to help you grow in Him.Today's Key Verse:Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (NKJV) (2 Peter 3:18)Today's Key Thought:Christians grow in Jesus

Bible Reading: Isaiah 40:28-31"That was a great circus show, wasn't it, Dad?" Brandon's eyes were wide with excitement as he and his father made their way to the car. "Especially the high-wire act! I really liked that."Dad grinned. "That was pretty exciting, but it was kinda scary when that one man was riding on the other's shoulders.""Yeah!" said Brandon. "I was surprised they didn't both get hurt when the one guy carrying the other lost his balance and they both fell. Good thing there was a net there to catch them!""Yes," said Dad, starting the car. "Without the net, that could have been a real tragedy."Brandon nodded. "Those guys sure do have a lot of nerve. I wouldn't want to ride on anybody's shoulders way up high off the ground! In fact, I don't think I'd want to be up on a high wire at all."Dad laughed. "Well, I'm glad to hear that. But you know what? That high wire act is a little bit like life in general.""It is?" asked Brandon. "What do you mean?""Well, the man on the other person's shoulders was putting all his trust in his partner's ability to safely walk the rope, right?"Brandon nodded. "Yeah, but that guy couldn't do it. If the net hadn't caught them, they might have been killed!""Well, we're all something like the man who trusted his partner," said Dad. "We all put our trust in someone or something. Some people put their trust in money or in their jobs. Some put their trust in other people to help them through tough times. But when those things fail…well, tragedy often follows.""That's kinda like what my Sunday school teacher told us in church last week," Brandon said. "She said we should always trust Jesus to take care of us because He never fails.""Right," said Dad. "Everyone faces difficulties and even tragedies in life, but only Jesus can save us from sin and give us eternal life. That's why we can trust Him to carry us through life's troubles. When we place our hope and trust in the things of this world or even other people, they will let us down. But Jesus will never fail us."–Richard S. MaffeoHow About You?Who or what do you put your trust in? Your family or friends? Money? Doing well in school and getting a job someday? Those things definitely help in life, but none of them can be trusted completely. People make mistakes, and money and jobs can be lost. Jesus is the only one who will never fail--now or for all eternity. Put your trust in Him. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)Today's Key Verse:Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. (NKJV) (Psalm 20:7)Today's Key Thought:Jesus can be trusted

Bible Reading: Isaiah 53:3; Matthew 9:10-13; 2 Timothy 1:7"Great game, Hailey!" said Mom. "Two goals--that's incredible!"Hailey kicked off her soccer cleats and sat on the sidelines beside Mom's folding chair. "Sure, I guess.""What's wrong?" asked Mom. "You did great."Hailey's eyes filled with tears. "It's Kaylee and Jenna. They said they don't want to be my friends anymore.""What?" asked Mom. "How come?""At halftime they were making fun of Sarah. She's shy, and she's…well, she's not the best player on the team. They called her 'Slow Sarah' when a ball got past her and said she should go play with those little kids." Hailey pointed to another field where some four-year-olds were chasing a ball around."Oh, that's terrible!" said Mom."They kept looking at me like they expected me to make fun of her too. I said they were being mean, so they called me a goody-goody and said they can't be friends with someone who's no fun. I just said, 'Fine,' and walked away. I didn't know what to do."Mom hugged Hailey. "I'm proud of you for standing up for Sarah."Hailey shrugged. "I thought I was doing what Jesus wanted me to do. Why did He let it turn out so badly?"Mom squeezed Hailey's shoulder. "You're right, Jesus does want you to love people because He loves us, but that doesn't mean it's always easy. The Bible is full of people who were rejected by others when they acted out of faith and obedience to God. Even Jesus was rejected for showing love to people everyone else wanted to stay away from. Through the Holy Spirit, He gives us the courage to love others that way too.""But now I don't have any friends on the team! Doesn't He care?""He cares very much," Mom assured her. "Your courage may have cost you your friendship with Kaylee and Jenna, but Jesus promises to always be with you." Mom pointed toward the field where Sarah was waving at them, a shy smile on her face. "Besides, it looks like you may have made a new friend."Hailey wiped her eyes and motioned for her teammate to join them. –Jennifer DillardHow About You?Have you experienced rejection for following Jesus's example of love? You are not alone. God's people have often faced hardship and rejection for standing up in faith and doing what's right. Jesus Himself was even rejected for loving sinners like us. He understands how you feel, and He promises to give you courage and strength and help you love others.Today's Key Verse:Listen to me, you who know right from wrong, you who cherish my law in your hearts. Do not be afraid of people's scorn, nor fear their insults. (NLT) (Isaiah 51:7)Today's Key Thought:Stand up for others

Bible Reading: Isaiah 64:5-6; 2 Corinthians 5:15-21"We're freezing!" Cyrus announced as he and his brothers burst through the door. "The three of you are covered in slush!" said Mom."Did you see the snowman we made?" Elim asked. "Ranny wanted to eat the carrot nose, but we wouldn't let him. We had to come inside early because he's hungry again." Elim grinned at his two-year-old brother. "Snack?" Ransom squeaked.Mom handed the boys bowls of apple slices. "The bath is ready! I'll wash Ranny first."After snacks and baths, Mom hauled a bag to the living room. "What's in there?" Cyrus asked. "Open it and see." Mom winked. "Robes!" Elim yelled. The boys wiggled into their cozy robes, then handed Mom hers and Ransom's. "I love robe season," said Elim. "I was just reading about robes during Bible time!" Cyrus pulled his Bible off the couch and opened it to the bookmarked page. "It's from Isaiah 61, verse 10: 'I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness.'" "What does righteousness mean again?" Elim asked. "It means being right with God and free from guilt in His eyes," Mom answered. "Remember what people had to do in the Old Testament to be righteous before God?" "Make sacrifices," Elim responded solemnly. "But it wasn't good enough! All the good things we do are like filthy rags compared to God's goodness." Cyrus picked up his soaked-through dirty sock with a wrinkled nose. "Then God sent Jesus to die for us! He sacrificed His own Son to save us. So, that verse in Isaiah I read was talking about God's promise to be fulfilled in Jesus," Cyrus mused. "Exactly." Mom nodded. "Since Jesus is perfect, He became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. When we put our trust in Him, He takes our sins away and covers us with His robe of righteousness. What do we become in Jesus?" "A new creation." Elim flapped his robe sleeves. "Ranny needs his robe, Mom!" Mom laughed as Ransom started running around the living room in circles. "The first one who catches him gets to put his robe on him!" –Savannah Coleman How About You?Has Jesus covered you in His robe of righteousness? The Bible says that all the things we do to try to make ourselves good in God's eyes are like filthy rags. The only way we can become righteous is through Jesus. When we trust in Him, God no longer sees our sins when He looks at us, but the perfect sacrifice of His Son. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page or go to www.keysforkids.org/goodnews.)Today's Key Verse:God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV) (2 Corinthians 5:21)Today's Key Thought:Jesus clothes us in robes of righteousness

Thus says the Lord: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word." - Isaiah 66:1-2

"For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind." - Isaiah 65:17

But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. - Isaiah 64:8

On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the Lord in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth. - Isaiah 62:6-7

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. - Isaiah 61:1

''Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?" Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. - Isaiah 58:3

"Peace, peace, to the far and to the near," says the Lord, "and I will heal him." - Isaiah 57:19b

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

Depart, depart, go out from there; touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of her; purify yourselves, you who bear the vessels of the Lord. For you shall not go out in haste, and you shall not go in flight, for the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard. - Isaiah 52:11-12

Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. - Isaiah 50:10

Bible Reading: Isaiah 40:28-31Kaylee softly sang a song as she zipped her suitcase. "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles…""Time to go," called Dad.Reluctantly, Kaylee turned and followed her parents to the car. Usually she loved going to church retreats, but this time Lyra, her best friend, wouldn't be there. Lyra had died just a few weeks before. A tear trickled down Kaylee's cheek, and she hastily rubbed it away as she slid into the backseat of the car, closed the door, and fastened her seat belt."All set?" asked Dad. Kaylee nodded."I liked the song you were singing," said Mom.Kaylee bit her lip so she wouldn't start crying again. "It was one of Lyra's favorites." "I remember hearing her sing it," said Dad, and as he backed out of the driveway, he began singing the song. Mom and Kaylee joined in."What exactly does it mean to mount up with wings as eagles?" asked Kaylee when they finished singing. "We can't really fly."Dad smiled. "The eagle is a unique bird. Other birds try to avoid storms, but eagles fly straight into them. They use the violent winds to lift themselves up high above the storm clouds." "Does that help them fly better and be safe?" asked Kaylee."Yes," Dad said. "With God's strength, you can be like an eagle. You can fly straight into the storms of life instead of running away from them. Even when you face difficult things--like the grief and loneliness you feel because of Lyra's death--you don't have to be afraid, because you know Jesus is with you. He has saved you and given you eternal life, and He can use difficult experiences to help you learn to trust Him and grow in your faith. He is strong, and He promises to give you His strength in life's storms." Brushing away tears, Kaylee nodded. "It still hurts, even though I know Lyra's in heaven, but I want to trust God to give me strength. I want to fly like an eagle."Mom squeezed her hand. "Let's sing that song again." And they all began to sing. –Jean A. Burns How About You?What problems are you facing today? Are you sad because a friend has died or moved away? Because your mom or dad is out of work? Because what's happening in your life makes it seem like your world is falling apart? Remember that Jesus loves you and wants to help you face your problems. He gave His life to save you and promises to always be with you. Trust Him to give you the strength to face life's storms.Today's Key Verse:Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. (NKJV) (Isaiah 40:31)Today's Key Thought:God gives strength to face problems

"The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass." - Isaiah 48:3

"To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?" - Isaiah 46:5

"Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other." - Isaiah 45:22

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: "I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god." - Isaiah 44:6

"Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations." - Isaiah 42:1

[B]ut they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31

"This shall be the sign to you from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he has promised: Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps." So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined. - Isaiah 38:7-8

Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers, and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord, and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed to the Lord. - Isaiah 37:14-15

Bible Reading: Isaiah 9:2-7; Matthew 1:18-25"I can't believe it's almost Christmas and there's no snow!" Alaina looked out the car window as they drove to church and frowned. "It just doesn't feel like Christmas without snow," she grumbled. For weeks the weather had been just above freezing. Instead of snow, storms of rain and sleet left a wet, muddy mess behind. When they pulled into the church parking lot, Alaina hopped out of the car and landed in a mud puddle. Her church shoes and tights were covered in mud. "Ahhhh!" she cried. "It's freezing, and I'm a mess!""Come on, honey," said her mom. "Let's run to the bathroom and dry you off before church starts." A few minutes later Alaina was dry and warm, but her legs were still speckled with mud and dirt. Before she could complain, her friend Hadley excitedly ran up to her. "Alaina! Have you seen outside? It just started snowing!" The two ran to the window and saw a few flurries starting to fall. Alaina giggled with excitement and forgot her muddy clothes. "Finally! I've been waiting forever!" After church Alaina ran to the window again. The ground was already covered with a sparkling blanket of fresh snow. Her mom came up behind her. "It does look beautiful. Why do you think fresh snow is so exciting?""Well, it finally covers up all the gross mud!" Alaina exclaimed, looking at the spots on her legs.Mom nodded. "I think that must have been what the first Christmas felt like." "What do you mean?" Alaina asked.Mom smiled. "Just like the muddy mess outside that covered your clothes today, without Jesus our hearts look like a muddy mess full of sin. But just like you were waiting for the snow to cover up the mess, the world waited and waited in anticipation of the Savior God had promised. Can you imagine how exciting it must have been to hear that Jesus was finally here to make our hearts as white as this snow?"Alaina looked surprised. "Wow, I didn't realize the world had to wait so long for Jesus to come." She looked outside. "Now the snow will remind me just how special Christmas is." –Bethany Den BoerHow About You?Do you ever feel impatient waiting for something you really want? Perhaps you couldn't wait for Christmas vacation or opening your presents on Christmas morning. How do you feel when the day finally arrives? The world waited in the same way for a Savior to come. This Christmas, think about that first Christmas when baby Jesus finally arrived and how exciting it is that He came to make our hearts as white as snow. Today's Key Verse:Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. (NKJV) (Isaiah 1:18 )Today's Key Thought:Jesus covers our sins

In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and took them. - Isaiah 36:1

Bible Reading: Isaiah 53:4-6; Matthew 1:21-23; Philippians 2:5-8"I don't know what I'm going to do, Seth," Jaden told his big brother. They were playing one of their favorite video games while waiting for Mom's homemade pizza to finish cooking. "You could start by actually playing!" Seth paused a moment, then said, "No, really, what's up?" "Well, you know Brenden, that really awkward new kid in my grade I was telling you about?" asked Jaden."Yeah, it reminds me of how I felt when we first moved here and I was just starting middle school. That was not fun!""I know, that's why I've been trying to help him out and sit with him at lunch, but now I almost wish I hadn't. His birthday is coming up, and his mom told him he's only allowed to invite one person over for his party to stay overnight at his house. Guess who that lucky person is?" Jaden said sarcastically. "Me!" "That's not so bad," Seth said. Jaden looked back at him with a very unconvinced frown. "It just happens to be on Friday--the Friday we have our last kid's club at church before Christmas break, the Friday when everyone gets to take a big prize home instead of just hoping they win the prize drawing! If I ride the bus home with Brenden, I'll miss kid's club! I asked him if he could come, but his mom doesn't know anything about it, so he's not allowed to. I'd have to miss it, and miss my chance to get a prize!"When Mom called the boys to dinner, she told them she had overheard them talking about Jaden's problem. "It reminded me of what we read in the Bible this morning about Jesus giving up the glory of heaven to come into this world as a baby to save us," Mom said. "Remember how we talked about looking for ways to show that same kind of love to others this Christmas?" "Yeah." Jaden sighed. "Okay, I'll tell Brenden I'm in. Maybe I can tell his mom more about kid's club and she'll let him come with me. Then neither one of us will miss out on the fun--and Brenden can learn more about Jesus!"–Alicia AlbertHow About You?Have you heard the Christmas story many times, but never let it really sink in? Think about what Jesus gave up by coming into this world to save us. He left heaven to become a helpless baby so He could one day die for our sins on the cross. When you think about what He gave up for you, you may find it's a little easier to give something up so that you can help change another person's life in an awesome way!Today's Key Verse:I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. (CSB) (John 13:34)Today's Key Thought:Live the Christmas message

Bible Reading: Isaiah 32:17-18; Luke 2:8-16When she got home from school, Sybil collapsed into a chair so forcefully it scraped across the floor."Sybil!" said Mom. "Be careful! You're going to leave marks!" She sighed as Sybil's little sister started crying in the other room. "This house is like a war zone," she muttered. Sybil crossed her arms. "Who do you think got the part of Mary in the Christmas play?" she asked sarcastically. "Haeun, of course! She's Mary, and I'm the narrator--again!"Dad looked up. "Isn't Haeun your best friend?" he asked.Sybil made a face. "Was my best friend," she corrected.As four-year-old Emmy helped Mom decorate cookies a little later, she practiced her part for the Christmas program. "Glory to God in…in the highest, and on earth peace, good…goodwill toward men." Then she asked, "Mommy, did Mary get baby clothes for Jesus at the Goodwill store?"Mom smiled. "No, honey. They didn't have Goodwill stores then. The word goodwill in that verse is talking about the love and favor God showed us by sending Jesus to save us from sin.""Mom," said Sybil, "when are Aunt Lynn and Uncle Ben coming?"Mom frowned. "They're not," she replied shortly."Not coming!" cried Sybil. "Why not? It won't feel like Christmas without them!" Mom didn't reply, and Sybil looked at her suspiciously. "We haven't seen them since Grandma's funeral. Are you still mad at Aunt Lynn about that picture album?"Mom wiped a fleck of frosting off her cheek and sighed. "I'd rather not discuss it.""You're mad at Aunt Lynn," said Emmy, "and Sybil's mad at Haeun. I don't know who I'm mad at." She went back to practicing her lines. "On earth peace, goodwill toward men.""On earth peace, goodwill toward men," Mom repeated softly. "Jesus came into our world so we could have His peace and love in our lives. But we haven't been doing a great job of showing that peace and love, have we?" She picked up her phone. "I'm going to call Aunt Lynn. It's not too late to invite them to come for Christmas."Sybil smiled. "Really?""Really," said Mom. "And maybe you should do the same with Haeun."Sybil hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. Maybe she can come over and help decorate these cookies."–Barbara J. WestbergHow About You?Do you have bitter, angry feelings in your heart toward anyone? Is there a hurt relationship you need to make right? Jesus came to bring peace and goodwill on earth. He came to make us right with God so we could have His peace in our hearts and live in peace with others. If there are hard feelings between you and someone else, do what you can to mend the problem and bring peace.Today's Key Verse:Be at peace among yourselves. (NKJV) (1 Thessalonians 5:13)Today's Key Thought:Live in peace with others

For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us.” — Isaiah 33:22

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. - Isaiah 32:1

For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, "Do not see," and to the prophets, "Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel." - Isaiah 30:9-11

And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden." - Isaiah 29:13-14

[T]herefore thus says the Lord God, "Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: 'Whoever believes will not be in haste.'" - Isaiah 28:16

Bible Reading: Isaiah 61:1-4Josiah sat in front of the woodstove, soaking up the warmth and staring at the flickering flames. It was very cold outside, and he was happy his grandpa kept the fire going. He and his mom had just made the long trip north from Virginia after his dad left them. Josiah missed his dad, and he missed his friends."Time to empty the ash pan," Grandpa announced as he came into the den."What?" asked Josiah, who had been lost in his thoughts."The ash pan," said Grandpa. "When the wood burns, it leaves behind some ash that collects in a pan at the bottom of the stove. Every few days, I have to empty it." Grandpa put on large gloves and used a special shovel to scoop the ashes from the pan into a bucket.Josiah peered into the bucket. It was filled with light-gray flakes and dust. "That looks messy," he said. "What do you do with all that useless stuff?""Useless?" Grandpa shook his head. "It's not useless to me. Let me show you something." Grandpa pulled a scrapbook off the shelf and flipped it open. It was filled with photos of roses and blue ribbons. "This is my blue-ribbon rose book," he said proudly. "You won all those?" asked Josiah. "Wow.""Sure did," replied Grandpa. "Do you want to know my secret?" Josiah nodded eagerly. "Ashes," said Grandpa."No way!" said Josiah in disbelief.Grandpa nodded. "Wood ash contains lots of nutrients that my rosebushes need. Every spring, I spread an inch around the base of each shrub. It helps my plants produce prize-winning blooms." Grandpa looked at Josiah. "You know," he continued, "I know someone else who likes to make beauty from ashes." Grandpa paused and pointed heavenward. "God can take something that seems pretty useless and use it to make something wonderful. I know you miss your dad and aren't thrilled to be here, but Jesus can use even the hard things in our lives for good. He used what seemed like the worst thing of all--His death on a cross--to bring us the wonderful gift of eternal life with Him. If we keep our eyes open, I'm sure we'll see Him make something beautiful from your situation as well."–Laura KuehnHow About You?Does your life seem to be filled with useless ashes right now? Is it hard for you to see how God could make it better? Don't be discouraged. God loves you very much--so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you--and He promises to do good things in your life. Pray and ask Him to help you. Then trust Him to take the difficult situation you're going through and bring something beautiful out of it.Today's Key Verse:We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him. (NIV) (Romans 8:28)Today's Key Thought:God can use hard things for good

Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! - Isaiah 24:17

At the end of seventy years, the Lord will visit Tyre, and she will return to her wages and will prostitute herself with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. — Isaiah 23:17

He has taken away the covering of Judah. In that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest, and you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many. You collected the waters of the lower pool, and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago. - Isaiah 22:8-11

Bible Reading: Isaiah 41:10-13; Romans 8:38-39Jace's favorite toy store was closing. He stared at the sign out front and fought back tears. He loved coming here.His grandpa used to take him every year at Christmastime when he was alive, and they would spend hours looking at all the toys before Jace would finally pick his favorite.For the past couple of years, Jace had been saving up some of his own money for the cool toys he found in the store. But now, in just a few weeks, it wouldn't be there anymore."I don't want the store to close," Jace said to his mom as they walked slowly through the quiet mall. There didn't seem to be many stores left in there. Jace missed when it used to be more crowded and busy."I know." Mom put her arm around him. "It's a special place to you. It's hard to say goodbye to something like that.""Everything changes so much." Jace blinked back tears. "First Grandpa died. Then Grandma sold their house. Now the toy store isn't even going to be around.""Change is hard," Mom said. "Especially big changes like you've had to go through recently. Life can be difficult sometimes."Jace glanced at an empty store and sighed. "Nothing ever stays the same.""Not much does, but one thing is always the same." Mom squeezed his shoulder.Jace looked at her. "What?""Jesus. He's the same today, yesterday, tomorrow, and forever. The Bible tells us that," Mom said. "His love for you is always the same. No matter what changes around you, He is always beside you."Jace took a moment to consider that as they stepped outside the mall. Jesus had been with him when his grandpa died. He had felt comforted knowing that then. "He'll always be there, no matter what I face?" Jace asked.Mom nodded. "Always. Through the hard things and good, Jesus is always with you. He died and rose again so you could spend eternity with Him, and nothing can ever separate you from His love. It's always the same."Jace felt better thinking about that, even though he was still really going to miss the toy store and all the memories it held. –Bethany AckerHow About You?Are you facing big changes in your life? Do they make you feel sad or afraid? Even though change is a normal part of life, it can be very difficult. But Jesus never changes--His love for you is always the same, and He promises to be with you in difficult times. When changes happen in your life, take comfort in knowing that He will always be with you and stay the same.Today's Key Verse:Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (NIV) (Hebrews 13:8)Today's Key Thought:Jesus doesn't change