From: September 10, 2023
“Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’)” (Isaiah 7:14 NLT).
Isaiah gave King Ahaz of Judah this sign from God to show that within only a few years, the kingdoms of Israel and Syria would be gone. Yet, this prophetic sign had a double fulfillment. Its first fulfillment was for Ahaz, but its later fulfillment was for the entire human race. For 700 years later the virgin did indeed give birth to Immanuel, Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
In the gospel of Matthew, he wrote that an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, informing him that his betrothed, Mary, was the virgin that would bear the long-awaited Immanuel. The angel explained that “that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” and actually quoted Isaiah 7:14 to Joseph to show that the unborn child would be the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (Matt. 1:20-23). He further instructed Joseph to name the child, “Jesus, for He would save His people from their sins.”
The Old Testament contains over 300 Messianic prophecies that are all fulfilled in Jesus Christ. These prophecies were given to encourage God’s people, but also to prepare them to recognize Messiah and believe in Him.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we have believed in Your Son, Jesus. He is who You say He is. He came just as You said He would. And we trust that He will return one day just as He promised. Until then, strengthen us by Your Spirit to proclaim His name to the nations. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: September 10, 2022
GOD STILL SENDS THOSE WHO WILL ANSWER HIS CALL
Isaiah had a vision that changed his life. He saw the Lord’s heavenly throne room and heard the sound of the seraphim crying out to one another, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!”
Isaiah was overwhelmed by the sight and sound of the vision and cried out in repentance because of his unclean lips. But the Lord sent one of the seraphim with a hot coal from the altar and touched it to Isaiah’s lips, and said, “Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged.”
That was when Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord, calling, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?”
Isaiah’s response was immediate, “Here am I! Send me.”
He didn’t look around to see who else would go. No, he shouted, “Here am I! Send me.” Unlike old Moses, who after making multiple excuses, begged the Lord to send someone else (Ex.4:13), Isaiah begged the Lord to send him. Of course, God sent both Moses and Isaiah anyway. He answered all of Moses’ excuses and He purged Isaiah’s unclean mouth.
The truth is, God qualifies whom He calls. Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord. If you have ears to hear the voice of the Lord calling you, then God is sending you. And those He sends, He supplies. God doesn’t care about our ability. He cares about our availability. Do you hear Him calling?
Remember what Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you” (John 20:21). As followers of Jesus, we are sent! Will you answer as Isaiah did?
PRAYER: Dear Father, we hear You calling us. Like Isaiah, we say “Here am I. Send me.” We do not feel worthy nor capable, but we leave that to You. We hear Your calling and we say yes. We are sent. Strengthen us for the journey and anoint us afresh for today’s work. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: September 10, 2016
“What’s in a name?” So asked Shakespeare’s Juliet of Romeo, the implication being that his family name didn’t matter to her. Yet, David appealed to God’s “name” as the means of his salvation. He recognized the power expressed in God’s name, as he wrote in another psalm, “The name of the LORD is a strong tower” (Psa. 18:10). For God’s name is the manifestation of His character, revealing His divine attributes. And what is the “saving” name of God by which we might call? As Peter preached to the Jerusalem council, that name is JESUS, “for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). The name “Jesus” or “Yeshua” means “God’s salvation.” God has given Him the name “above every name” (Phil.2:9). Jesus tells us to “ask anything in His name” (John 14:14). What’s in a name? In the name of Jesus, everything.
From: September 10, 2015
The Corinthians had fallen prey to false teachers who claimed greater authority than Paul. In response to this, Paul found himself in the awkward position of establishing his own credentials. Paul didn’t like to boast, unless it was to boast of Christ. So instead, he boasted of his “infirmity,” his weakness. He listed the number of times he had been beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, hungry, naked, and left for dead. Paul chose to see what others might call a record of disgrace as his resume of suffering for Christ. He was fulfilling the calling that Christ had given him on the road to Damascus, namely: “he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:15-16). Most boast of their successes to elevate their position, but Paul boasted of his sufferings, that Christ might be the One elevated in status.
From: September 10, 2014
(Isaiah 7:14 NLT).
Isaiah gave King Ahaz of Judah this sign from God to show that within only a few years, the kingdoms of Israel and Syria would be gone. Yet, this prophetic sign had a double fulfillment. It’s present-day fulfillment was for Ahaz, but it’s future fulfillment was for the entire human race. For 700 years later the virgin did indeed give birth to Jesus, the Son of God. Matthew quotes this verse to show its fulfillment in Christ (Matt. 1:23). Christ is the “holy seed” from “Israel’s stump” (Isa. 6:13). The Old Testament contains over 300 Messianic prophecies that are all fulfilled in Christ.