Podcasts about isaiah is

https://endtimesmystery.com/ What Can Modern America Learn From Ancient Israel? Bible Scholar Explains Orlando, FL, March 21, 2022 ― Christians believe that on Good Friday, Jesus died in place of the sinful believers who put their trust in his salvation, and rose from the dead on Easter — a preview of what's to come on the Day of the Lord. The end-time prophecies in the Bible apply to all nations of the world. But do they have anything specific to say about the U.S.A.? In his book, What the Bible Has to Say About the U.S.A.: The Old Testament Speaks to Americans Today, Bible scholar and veteran Christian author David S. Heeren takes readers on a fascinating exploration into the book of Hosea, where he draws striking parallels between ancient Israel and modern America. Heeren details the cultural characteristics that the two nations share during their periods of decline, centuries after their initial settlements, namely: Money vs. Morality, Lawlessness, Humanism (the deification of humanity), Liberalism, Globalism, Life vs. Convenience, New Age (and other religions that Heeren calls “hostile to Christianity”), God's love (the book's most important chapter), Cunning Commerce, Sexual License and Environmentalism. Heeren compels readers to ponder questions such as, Are we headed for a crisis even worse than COVID? Will moral deterioration result in upheaval that could impact all levels of American society? What can Christians do to prevent a total collapse? And how should we prepare for whatever lies ahead? “He (God) no more wants to see American civilization crumble than He desired the collapse of ancient Israel,” Heeren explained. “So we should not ignore prophetic details that seem relevant to our imperiled nation. Reproduction of conditions could result in repetition of consequences.” In the book's final chapter, Heeren brings the discussion full circle, with a description of a great spiritual revival — as prophetic as some of the Bible's end-time texts that anticipate the very same thing. “Prophet Zechariah said one-third of all human beings will rise into heaven on earth's final day,” Heeren added. “According to recent estimations by evangelists Billy Graham and D. James Kennedy, the number 33 percent is way too high. That number, according to Kennedy and Graham and others, probably right now is less than 10 percent. Talk about revival!” Author David S. Heeren is an award-winning journalist and author of 18 books. A personal prayer identical to that of Isaiah (Is. 6:8) led him to change his career emphasis from sports writing to Christian writing in 2007. Since that time, he has published nine books with Christian themes, five of which deal with biblical end-time prophecy. His book, The High Sign, which identifies the most likely sign of Jesus' Second Coming, received a double-four-star (perfect) rating from the Online Book Club — the highest rating awarded by the club. Heeren was recently approved for inclusion in Who's Who. His upcoming Christian novel, Year of Our Lord, has been praised by literary critic David Dickerson as “by far the most exciting in the In His Steps series.” To learn more, please visit: www.endtimesmystery.com. What the Bible Has to Say About the U.S.A.: The Old Testament Speaks to Americans Today Publisher: URLink Print & Media, LLC ISBN-10: ‎ 1647537061 ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1647537067 Available from Amazon.com and BN.com Are we headed for a crisis worse than COVID? What can Christians do to prevent a total collapse? In seeking answers to these and other important questions, Bible scholar David S. Heeren turned to the Old Testament book of Hosea, which described ancient Israel as a land bearing many resemblances to America today. Heeren shares his profound insights in his book, What the Bible Has to Say About the U.S.A.: The Old Testament Speaks to Americans Today.

Jesus came to be a servant (Phil. 2:5-11). Many people think that this text means "despite the fact that Jesus was God, he was willing to take on the form of a servant." That wasn't what Paul meant by using the term "being in the very nature God". Rather, Paul is saying because was Jesus in the very nature of God he became a servant. In other words, it's in the very nature of God to serve. So Christ took on the form of a servant. In John 13, the disciples are unwilling to be servants. We are called to serve and we'll find our fulfillment in discovering our calling as servants. (Servant songs in Isaiah: Is 53 is most quoted OT text in NT; shaped their whole understanding of ministry to Christ. Phil 2: highlight 'because' vs 'despite' - it is the nature of God to serve... we find fulfillment as we bear his image as servants

Book: The High Sign Website(s): www.endtimesmystery.com Facebook: Facebook: facebook.com/david.heeren.965 Bible scholar David S. Heeren says there is evidence indicating we have entered the early phase of the end of days. Yet he remains optimistic. His latest book on end-time prophecy, End-Time Living: Despite Conflict and Hardship, All Is Well, defines a Christian lifestyle that will produce fulfillment and joy even under the prophesied duress of the end-time. Heeren posits that no matter what believers must endure during the tribulation — and no matter how bad things get — those who stand firm for Him until the end will be blessed. Please see the press release below, and let me know if you would like to receive a copy of End-Time Living in consideration of a review, feature or interview with author David S. Heeren. To hear his recent end-time-themed interview with Chats from the Blog Cabin, please visit https://anchor.fm/chatsfromtheblogcabin/episodes/229. 15 Keys to a Lifestyle That Honors God ORLANDO, FL, October 4, 2021 ― Bible scholar David S. Heeren has written extensively on the topic of end-time prophecy, and in his fifth book on the subject, End-Time Living, Heeren trains his focus on the power of redemptive love. “This book's greatest theme by far is love,” Heeren says. “I have been trained as an evangelist, but there can be no greater evangelism tool in the world than the redemptive love Jesus displayed on the cross.” End-Time Living draws its messaging from the second half of the Bible, featuring details from relevant sermons of Jesus (Matthew 5-7, 24 and Luke 21) and the eight chapters of the beautiful allegory, Song of Songs. Included are 15 points of emphasis presented as keys to a God-honoring lifestyle; the true story of a 12-year-old Christian boy who openly expressed love for the man who beat his mother to death; the story of the enduring legacy of missionary Richard Wurmbrand and his underground ministry; and Heeren's deeply personal account of his wife, Joan, and her tremendous capacity for love. “She loved more and more during the final few agonizing days before her death,” Heeren recalls. “She had entered final unconsciousness when I said to her, ‘I love you forever.' I believe she heard me.” Despite the perilous end of days setting that forms the backdrop for End-Time Living, Heeren centers his narrative on the reasons why believers should remain hopeful that any tribulation will be short-lived, and the rewards for those who stand firm for Him until the end will be everlasting. “We should be happy and hopeful because we are headed for a victorious finale, the Second Coming of Jesus, which will be a cause of celebration to millions upon millions of people who will meet Him in the air,” Heeren says. David S. Heeren is an award-winning journalist and author of 17 books. A personal prayer identical to that of Isaiah (Is. 6:8) led him to change his career emphasis from sports writing to Christian writing in 2007. Since that time, he has published nine books with Christian themes, five of which deal with biblical end-time prophecy. His previous book, The High Sign, which identifies the most likely sign of Jesus' Second Coming, received a double-four-star (perfect) rating from the Online Book Club — the highest rating awarded by the club. His upcoming Christian novel, Year of Our Lord, has been praised by literary critic David Dickerson as “by far the most exciting in the In His Steps series.” To learn more, please visit: www.endtimesmystery.com. End-Time Living: Despite Conflict and Hardship, All Is Well Publisher: URLink Print & Media, LLC ISBN-10: ‎ 1647538955 ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1647538958 Available from Amazon.com

Pastor Jeske continues his series on The Divine Service with a bible study on the Sanctus: Holy is the Lord God.  If any part of the service has been recognized as providing a glimpse of heaven, it's the Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of your glory.”  This is the eternal song of the angels who hover over the throne of God in the vision of heaven that was given to Isaiah (Is. 6:1-4). Such was the splendor of their song that the very foundations of the threshold of the temple trembled at the sound.

Pastor Jeske continues his series on The Divine Service with a bible study on the Sanctus: Holy is the Lord God.  If any part of the service has been recognized as providing a glimpse of heaven, it's the Sanctus: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of your glory.”  This is the eternal song of the angels who hover over the throne of God in the vision of heaven that was given to Isaiah (Is. 6:1-4). Such was the splendor of their song that the very foundations of the threshold of the temple trembled at the sound.

Covenant Journey that Appears in Isaiah (Is 40:27-31)

A Prayer of Anger - Psalm 94 I believe that I would be right in saying that most of us here have prayed. Whether in joy and happiness; or in sadness and grief; in need or in want; in praise or in worship or in confessing sin, or in other ways we have prayed. But how many of us have prayed in anger, following the example of the writer of Psalm 94. Have any of us prayed out of anger to a God who is a judge? Have we cried out in anger to a God who punishes evil? By anger I do not mean that short burst of temper when something happens to us against our will. The kind of anger that rises when somebody does something against you, and you retaliate against them. No, the type of anger I am talking about is the anger we should feel inside us that occurs when we see injustice being done; when we see sin being done to assist in the systematic abuse of other people. The sort of anger that the church should have felt in Germany during the 2nd World War when the creatures of the Nazi regime held mock trials of so-called criminals such people as Dietrich Bonhoeffer for opposing the ungodly views of the state. The type of anger we should feel when we face today on our television screens when we see the pictures of the innocent victims of war in Sudan, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Iraq or any region where people abuse people for the sake of their own power and glory. The sort of anger that should make us cry tears of sadness and humility when faced with the utter poverty of the families living on the streets in the cities of the world such as New Delhi, Mexico City, Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paolo. George Bernard Shaw once described poverty as the greatest of crimes. That deep seated anger that should be amongst us as Christians when we see the oppressed and the poor being used and abused by those who are in positions of power to help them. We are all quite comfortable with the God of Psalm 93, the God of majesty, strength and magnificence who is from everlasting to everlasting. The God who is mightier than the greatest seas! The God whose glorious holiness covers his house eternally! Yet something, somehow, makes us uncomfortable about praying to God for justice. Perhaps our view of God is too small. For sure our God is a God of mercy but he is also a God of justice. Our God is a God of love, but He is also a God of wrath. His written word affirms all these things. So the writer of the Psalm calls and prays to God for justice to be done. That He, the judging God might be glorified. Has the writer made this up? No, because God has described Himself as Judge and Avenger (Genesis 18:25; Deut 32:35). How many of us here, have prayed for justice to be done? Perhaps we should pray on occasion for burden of injustice to be lifted off the poor and oppressed peoples of this world. But, before we go any further on this thought, let us consider together 3 things about Psalm 94. 1. Whom is the writer praying to (Vs. 1-3)? The obvious answer to this question is God. But what sort of God is He? Let's look at all the various descriptions given to us about God in this Psalm. A God who avenges (v. 1). To avenge is to seek revenge on behalf of somebody else. Here God is asked to avenge for the poor and innocent against the wicked and guilty people A God who judges (v. 2). To judge is to decide which is right and which is wrong. Here God is asked to judge the wicked and guilty people for their wrong doing. A God who created and creates (v. 9), disciplines (vs. 10, 12); teaches (vs. 10, 12). A God who knows all things (v. 11) through omniscience. A God who relieves (vs. 13), assists (vs. 14, 17, 18), loves (vs. 18) and supports (vs. 18). He is a God who consoles (vs. 19), and who is incorruptible (vs. 20). A God who is strong and dependable (vs. 22) and a God who is a refuge (vs. 22). But he is also a God who repays and destroys (vs. 23) evil men for their wickedness. Is your vision of God still too small? 2. Why is the writer praying (Vs. 4-7)? The writer js praying because he has seen the wickedness of mankind and has a deep inner anger against the brutality and evil deeds of the wicked. These people may not be foreigners, since many Jewish leaders were also brutal, for example the evil King Manasseh or the cynics of Isaiah (Is. 5: 18ff). What sort of things are these evil people doing, and what sort of people are they? Arrogant and boastful (vs. 4), crushing (vs, 5), oppressing (vs. 5), slaying widows and foreigners (vs. 6) murdering orphans (vs. 6). The people who do this sort of thing are the object of the writer's anger. They are not only content to do evil deeds, but also add hard speeches, boasting, threatening and insulting the saints of God. The insults are used so often that they become a natural part of the language. That is the idea behind the phrase "pour out" in vs. 4. Words often wound more than swords, they are as hard to the heart as stones are to the flesh; and they are poured out by the ungodly against the godly. According to verse 4, they even talk to themselves, and of themselves, in spiritual arrogance, as if they were doing some good deed in crushing the poor and killing the widows, orphans and foreigners. Their error is that they believe that God cannot see their doings, and even if He could see, He wouldn't do anything about it any way. These evil people, who grind the people of God with oppression, crush them with contempt claim that God cannot see them, and so therefore reason that there is nothing to stop them from doing their evil works. There is no limit to the pride and arrogance of these wicked people, as they have lost their senses (vs. 8 ) and lost all common sense. It is natural for them to boast, just as it is natural for godly men to practice humility. The God of Jacob heard him and led him throughout his life and said concerning Jacob "Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm", yet these proud and arrogant people proclaim boldly that God neither sees nor knows what we do. It is true that those whom God will destroy, He leaves to the madness of their corrupt hearts. What is God going to do? In verse 14, is the answer to verse 5. The Lord has not rejected his own people. He has not forsaken those who are his. To do this, would go against God's very nature. As his inheritance, God has marked out all those who are his saints. God takes a peculiar interest in their well being and delights in them; He has an eternal covenant with them. I will be your God, and you will be my people. Will God not defend his people? In verse 14, we have the answer!! The Lord will not withdraw His love or leave people totally on their own against the evil persecutors. For a little while, He may leave them with the design to benefit them, yet he will never utterly destroy them. He will discipline His people, but never destroy them. In vs. 15, the great Judge will come, the reign of righteousness will begin, justice will be done and then all the godly will rejoice. The vehicle of right will be driven down the streets of evil, and all those upright in heart will follow it in joyous procession. Are we as the people of God today, following the path of righteousness or are we trampling somehow on the poor and oppressed? Are we keeping silent when we should be speaking out? Some governments of this world, have for sometime been using their power to oppress, but the cry of this prayer will bring back righteousness to the throne of government, and then every upright heart will proclaim loudly with joy! 3. What is the writer praying (vs.8-23) a) Help!!!! (vs 16-19). The writer is praying for God to judge injustice, and avenge the oppressed (vs. 2). But not only that, as he is also crying out for help (vs. 16). Who is going to rise up against the evildoers? He obviously needs help, and his friends are not there for him, so he calls out to God for help! The soul is safest and at rest, after calling all others to assist and no one comes, when total trust for help is upon God. Today the church sees error and evil coming into her, and faithful godly leaders seem to be a minimum, and fewer still are bold enough to stand up and defy the enemies of truth. Our great hope is that the God of the Bible is with us, and He will call out his champions to defend Him. Are you one of God's champions? Is your foot slipping, are you feeling weak at this moment in time and need help? Take courage, we feel our weakness, and see our danger, and in fear and trembling we cry out. Our inbred sin is dragging us down and we need help. God, in His supreme mercy and love, helps us and our joy is that His mercy endures forever, and is always available to help us in times of danger to support us. From my sinful and proud thoughts, my thoughts of sorrow, my cares, my conflicts, I will hurry to the Lord. This is a cry of the writer, yet are we the same? The Lord alone is consoling, and yet not only consoling but delighting in me. How sweet are the comforts of God the Comforter, the Holy Spirit? Who without feeling joy, can think about eternal love, trustworthy promises, the coming to earth of the Redeemer in Jesus Christ, the risen Saviour and his next coming again. The little world within us, that is full of confusion and strife becomes calm when we rely upon Jesus to say "Peace be with you!" b) Can a corrupt throne be allied with you? God enters into no promises with those governments who are corrupt, and He gives no help to unrighteous laws. No assistance does He give. They might legalize robbery and violence and then say in defense, it is the law of the land, yet it is still evil and wicked. No injustice is permanent, for God will not set His seal upon it, nor have any fellowship with it, and therefore one day it will fall. An example of this was the slaughter of the Jews during the 2nd World War. The German church in general, allied itself along with the laws and decrees of Hitler, and changed its theology to that of white supremacy. We all know that the plans of the Nazis failed. Or take for example South Africa, which up until recently had a policy of separating whites and others. For a long time the mainstream Church held as its theology that this was true. Since then, the walls of apartheid have fallen, and the church has confessed this sin to God. No evil regime lasts very long. The unrighteous join together, in order to attack the righteous. The guilty join each other to attack the innocent. No crime is too great for them. Yet there is good news. Let the ungodly join together, the Psalmist is not afraid, but sweetly sings that the rock upon which he stands his the Jehovah God, Yahweh who is his fortress and refuge. Firm is the rock of God's love, and in Him we go for shelter. He is indeed a tremendous lover. As if in answer to his own question of verse 16, "Who will rise up for me against the wicked and evildoers", the final verse gives us an answer. The natural result of oppression, against the innocent, the poor, or the righteous is the total destruction of the ungodly. The great God who is judge, will repay their sins, and destroy their wickedness. While the bread and food they have stolen is in their mouth, God's wrath will slay them. God himself, visibly and noticeably, visits them and reveals His own power to them.  So now what can we say in conclusion. Firstly, our vision of God should not be too small. We need to acknowledge him as a great lover, but also as a terrifying Judge. Remember, it is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31). To quote John Stott - "God is not at odds with himself, however much it may appear to us that he is. He is 'the God of Peace', of inner tranquility not turmoil. True we may find it difficult to hold in our minds simultaneously the images of God as the Judge who must punish evil-doers and of the Lover who must find a way to forgive them. Yet he is both, and at the same time." Secondly, can we rightly pray, in the light of the New Testament, for the vengeance of God to come down against the ungodly? No, we cannot, for then we would be no better than those who do not know Him. The vengeance of God has already come down upon one man. One day his judgment will fall, and it is from this terrible event that this man is our deliverer. This man, the Lord Jesus Christ when He died on the cross, for you and me and all our enemies, took upon Himself the full vengeance of God. He took the anger of God upon himself, so that no-one may face the judgment of God without first having the opportunity to turn to Jesus in repentance of sins. We should be praying for the governments of this world that abuse the widows, orphans and innocents of today, that they will see their errors and turn away from them. And not only that, we should pray that the members of these governments will turn to God in awe and wonder to worship Him. One day all men and women will be called upon before God to give an account of themselves to Him. If they do not know this Jesus as their Saviour, then God will cast them from His holy presence. We should also pray that godly men and women will become members of the governments of the world to help protect the innocent and the righteous, that leaders will be raised up, who know God personally to stop the abuse of the innocent. Thirdly, even in the face of abuse and persecution, we should turn to the living God for comfort and help in our circumstances. Too often we rely on ourselves or others for strength in times of trouble. It is God alone who can help us, and it is God alone who will destroy the evil in the world. The judgment of evil, according to Psalms, is a time for universal rejoicing. Ps. 67:4; 96:12-13; Ps. 35:24. Let us rejoice together when good overcomes evil in this world. Finally, let us pray and cry out in anger against the suffering and evil in this world. And not only pray about it, but do something about it. We, as Christians, should be as light and salt to the world of darkness and evil. What will you and I do about being light and salt to a world where the innocent suffer, the widows and orphans are abandoned and murdered? Right mouse click or Tap Here to save this Podcast as a MP3. You can now purchase our Partakers books! Please do click or tap here to visit our Amazon site! 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The comparison of the declarations of Jesus in Malachi through refining, Isaiah of who he is, and Matthew. “The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭17:3‬ Psalm 34 says “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:19 If you would like… pray a prayer today.  Give him your sin and ask him to remove it as far as the east is from the west.  Wait on him today.  Let him change your life.  What did he say… ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ He announced freedom through Isaiah ““Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?”‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58:6‬   And in Isaiah 61 and in Nazareth when he proclaimed the start of his ministry ““The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:18‬   But Malachi goes further and defines un righteousness…  “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me,” says the Lord Almighty.” Malachi‬ ‭3:1 Isaiah put it this way ““Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58:6‬ “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:1-3‬ And Jesus fulfilled the statements ““The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:18‬  Spirit gives birth to spirit. …, ‘You must be born again.’ ‭‭John‬ ‭3:5-8‬ For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. ‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:1-11‬ “Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the earlier prophets proclaimed: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices.’ But they would not listen or pay attention to me, declares the Lord. Where are your ancestors now? And the prophets, do they live forever? But did not my words and my decrees, which I commanded my servants the prophets, overtake your ancestors? “Then they repented and said, ‘The Lord Almighty has done to us what our ways and practices deserve, just as he determined to do.’ ”” ‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭1:4-6‬ “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these:anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:5-10‬ ‭ “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:12-17‬ The Lord declares Victory.  Listen to how many times and places he declares himself to you…Telling the end from the beginning.. ““Who has stirred up one from the east, calling him in righteousness to his service?.... Who has done this and carried it through, calling forth the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord —with the first of them and with the last—I am he.”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭41:2-4‬ “This is what God the Lord says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42:5-7‬ ““Remember this, keep it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels. Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’ From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. Listen to me, you stubborn-hearted, you who are now far from my righteousness. I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭46:8-13‬ ““Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness— you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city and claim to rely on the God of Israel— the Lord Almighty is his name: This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sand, your children like its numberless grains; their name would never be blotted out nor destroyed from before me.”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭48:1-2, 17-19‬ “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭2:1-8 ““Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn; look to Abraham, your father, and to Sarah, who gave you birth. When I called him he was only one man, and I blessed him and made him many. “Listen to me, my people; hear me, my nation: Instruction will go out from me; my justice will become a light to the nations. My righteousness draws near speedily, my salvation is on the way, and my arm will bring justice to the nations. The islands will look to me and wait in hope for my arm. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail. “Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults. For the moth will eat them up like a garment; the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever, my salvation through all generations.”” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭51:1-2, 4-8‬ “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth. The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward. But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19:1-14‬ “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, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭61:10-11‬ And finally a direction given through Isaiah ““Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. “If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” ‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭58:6-10‬ “Stop listening to instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:27 I repeat Matthews message of the light burden ““Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ And Paul in his training to Timothy Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:12, 14

Today's message joins several others we have on record lately which demonstrate the signal implications of Genesis events in the arc of redemptive history. From the vantage point of later revelation, an apparent footnote may prove to be a beacon of Gospel reality. This is certainly the case in Genesis 12 where Abram first receives covenant hope via divine word. Thus, we witnessed other authors visiting Abram's altar -so to speak- including the prophet Isaiah (Is 51:1-6) and the author of Hebrews in chapter 11. Today we consider a figure greater than Abraham, albeit more mysterious. Melchizedek commands a unique role in scripture. -He appears as a historical type in Gen 14. -He appears as a prophetic hope in Ps 110 and Zech 6:11-14, -He appears in substance in the incarnate Christ (Mat 2:1-2, 26:6-29). -Finally: his persona is expounded in Hebrews, especially in chapter 7. The first mention of Melchizedek in Hebrews appears in Chapter 5:6-10, however, the author interrupts his own train of thought regarding his legacy by interjecting words of exhortation demonstrating the eminent importance of this typology. (5:11) ...about this he has much to say but it is hard to explain to those who have become dull of hearing. Lord grant us ears to hear Your word of messianic fulfillment and hope!

Isaiah 58:6-12 Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church from the book of Isaiah:Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke,to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke?Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house;when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly;your vindicator shall go before you, the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.If you remove the yoke from among you, the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,if you offer your food to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,then your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday.The Lord will guide you continually, and satisfy your needs in parched places, and make your bones strong;and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters never fail.Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to live in.This is the word of the Lord. Thanks be to God

Tuesday, December 24, 2019   Matthew 1:18-25 18 Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. 20 But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: 23 “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,    and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” 24 When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, 25 but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.   Reflection: The Gospel of Matthew records how the angel of the Lord to announced to Joseph that Mary “will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (1:21). Furthermore, the angel explained how Jesus' birth fulfilled what was promised to the prophet Isaiah (Is. 7:14) that “the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God with us.” In this surprising and wonderful truth, we learn that the son will not be any ordinary baby boy, but will in fact be God himself. God kept his promises, and did so in the most extraordinary and abundant way. God himself has come! He is not a god at a distance, he is God with us.   Collect for Christmas Eve: O God, you have caused this holy night to shine with the brightness of the true Light: Grant that we, who have known the mystery of that Light on earth, may also enjoy him perfectly in heaven; where with you and the Holy Spirit he lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting.  Amen.    

Homily for November 17th, 2019 The 2nd Sunday before Advent Celebrant: Fr. Lee McLeod, CJ St. Aidan's Anglican Church, Nicholasville, KY www.jessamineanglicans.org Lectionary Readings - Malachi 4:1-2a 1st Canticle of Isaiah (Is. 12:2-6) 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13 Luke 21:1-19

ST LUKE 8:1 NOW THE PARABLE IS THIS: THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD. NOW GENESIS 3:15 AND I WILL PUT ENMITY BETWEEN THEE AND THE WOMAN, AND BETWEEN THY SEED AND HER SEED; IT SHALL BRUISE THY HEAD, AND THOU SHALT BRUISE HIS HEEL. 1 CORINTHIANS 1: 21 FOR AFTER THAT IN THE WISDOM OF GOD THE WORLD BY WISDOM KNEW NOT GOD, IT PLEASED GOD BY THE FOOLISHNESS OF PREACHING TO SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE. 1 PETER 1:23 BEING BORN AGAIN, NOT OF CORRUPTIBLE SEED, BUT INCORRUPTIBLE, BY THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH LIVETH AND ABIDETH FOREVER. 1 CORINTHIANS 3:19 FOR THE WISDOM OF THIS WORLD IS FOOLISHNESS WITH GOD. FOR IT IS WRITTEN, GOD TAKETH THE WISE IN THEIR OWN CRAFTINESS. ST LUKE 8:11 NOW THE PARABLE IS THIS: THE SEED IS THE WORD OF GOD. JAMES 2:19,20,26 THOU BELIEVEST THAT THERE IS ONE GOD; THOU DOEST WELL: THE DEVILS ALSO BELIEVE, AND TREMBLE. 20 BUT WILT THOU KNOW, O VAIN MAN FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD. 26 FOR AS THE BODY WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD, SO FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD ALSO. ROMANS 14:17 FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NOT MEAT AND DRINK; BUT RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND PEACE, AND JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST. ISAIAH IS 40:18 TO WHOM WILL YE LIKEN GOD? OR WHAT LIKENESS WILL YE COMPARE UNTO HIM?---ISAIAH 46:5 TO WHOM WILL YE LIKEN THE LORD GOD, AND MAKE THE LORD GOD EQUAL, AND COMPARE THE LORD, THAT WE MAY BE LIKE: ISAIAH 46:9 REMEMBER THE FORMER THINGS OF OLD: FOR THE LORD IS GOD, AND THERE IS NONE ELSE; THE LORD GOD IS HE, AND THERE IS NONE LIKE THE LORD GOD.-- OPEN NOTE: GOD MADE MAN, MAN MAKE gods. CLOSE NOTE:

In the end, everything will depend upon... THE NAME "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God..." Ex 20:7 "All day long, my name is blasphemed, " declares the Lord in the book of Isaiah (IS.52:5). It's just true  today! The name of God and the things of God- His holiness, His attributes, His attributes, His judgements-are constantly disparaged! God cares very much about this, because He cares for you! Let's take a look.   

  In the end, everything will depend upon... THE NAME "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God..." Ex 20:7 "All day long, my name is blasphemed, " declares the Lord in the book of Isaiah (IS.52:5). It's just true  today! The name of God and the things of God- His holiness, His attributes, His attributes, His judgements-are constantly disparaged! God cares very much about this, because He cares for you! Let's take a look.