AWAKE, ARISE, AND TRIUMPH
Tuesday – February 14, 2023, Sh’vat 23, 5783
SPEAK TENDERLY
Greetings dear and precious friends and partners and welcome back to our Bible Study of the Book of Isaiah. What a wonderful Book with an unmistakable message of warning and unrivaled hope. The warning has to do with the grave consequences of sin. The hope is the coming Messiah who has come, paid the ransom, and is now seated at the Right Hand of our Heavenly Father. Jesus, the Messiah, is forever our intercessor, advocate, and our High Priest. As we move forward, please take a moment and share this teaching as widely as possible by every means available to you. Thank you so much for sharing. The featured picture today is of an old Church in Hawaii to remind us to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Each and every one of us need intercessors and each and every one of us need to be intercessors.
Ephesians 6:18 (AMP)
18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).
Now, let’s shift our attention back to the wonderful Bible Book of Isaiah continuing to read out loud. As you will see this fortieth chapter takes a shift back to the coming Messiah and preparing the way for His coming. Keep in mind Jesus will not be born for another 600 to 700 years.
Isaiah 40:1-4 (AMP)
1 COMFORT, COMFORT My people, says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to the heart of Jerusalem, and cry to her that her time of service and her warfare are ended, that [her punishment is accepted and] her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received [punishment] from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one who cries: Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord [clear away the obstacles]; make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God!
4 Every valley shall be lifted and filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; and the crooked and uneven shall be made straight and level, and the rough places a plain.
The Lord speaking to the Prophet Isaiah is telling him to speak tenderly to the hearts of the people of Jerusalem. Their punishment is past, the iniquity bringing that punishment is now pardoned. Keep in mind we are not just talking about the sin of King Hezekiah but the people as well. Remember how this Book, this study started, it was with God talking to Isaiah about rebellion of Judah and its kings.
Isaiah 1:1-2 (AMP)
1 THE VISION [seen by spiritual perception] of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah [the kingdom] and Jerusalem [its capital] in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth! For the Lord has spoken: I have nourished and brought up sons and have made them great and exalted, but they have rebelled against Me and broken away from Me.
As you listen carefully to verse two you can almost hear the sadness in the voice of God and perhaps some frustration, even anger. In our primary text we see Judah entering into a good season however they will again rebel and suffer the consequences. This is a strong temptation of the fallen nature. Once God gets us where He wants us, we get lifted up in pride and turn away from Him. It will look like we are serving Him, but it is a form of godliness. Let’s look at the words of John the Apostle of love and James.
1 John 2:15-16 (KJV)
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
We and they at the time of Isaiah get our eyes off God who we cannot see and onto the things of the world which we can see. Listen to the words of the Apostle James as the Lord speaks through him. We see, it is not God, it is not even the devils, it is us.
James 1:13-15 (KJV)
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
By: Dr. David R. Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
2 Chronicles 20:20 b (KJV)
20 … Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.
Receive the blessing in Jesus’ name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (MSG)
24 GOD bless you and keep you,
25 GOD smile on you and gift you,
26 GOD look you full in the face and make you prosper.
PRAYERS AND QUESTIONS – please contact us and we will respond. Our goal is to build a solid foundation upon which children of God can become sons of God, stand and do exploits in Jesus’ name.
PARTNERSHIP AND GIVING – Those of you who are not Partners of this Ministry and you find this ministry to be of value to you and perhaps others with whom you share it, we ask you to consider becoming Partners. A Partner is one who prays for the Ministry on a regular basis and contributes to the Ministry on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, annually). Thank you and may the Lord be pleased with your decision.
CONTACT E-MAIL: pastordavidwood@gmail.com
BLOG: https://awakeariseandtriumphministries.org
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/awakearisetriumphministries
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/PastorDavidWood
MAILING ADDRESS: 15007 Rock River Street, San Antonio, Texas 78247-3030
