Lessons On Living

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Isaiah 2:4 Revelation 20:1-3 Isaiah 9:6 Romans 5:1 Revelation 20:7-8 Psalm 16:11 1 Thessalonians 4:17

A Great Day Coming

Isaiah 2:4

He shall judge between the nations, and shall rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nations shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.

A Great Day Coming

Peace has always been an elusive prospect. The Columbia Dispatch reported in 1993 that cable TV mogul Ted Turner funded a competition to find a book that gave a workable plan for world peace. Turner said he wanted to see if anybody had a real vision of a future world at peace and harmony. His quest ended in disappointment. He told an Atlanta gathering of news contributors to his Cable News Network's "World Report" that, "With 10,000 manuscripts, we did not have one plausible treatise on how we could get to a sustainable, peaceful future."

Apparently no one thought to check the Book of Isaiah. Here, God reveals that there is a day coming when wars will cease. This will not be the result of any plan proposed by the wisdom of man; it will come, instead, through the direct intervention of the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 20:1-3 foretells the imprisonment of Satan so that he "should deceive the nations no more till the thousand years were finished" (v. 3). During that time, the world will finally experience the peace it desperately needs. True peace can only come when the Prince of Peace brings it (Isa. 9:6).

We don't have to wait that long, however, to experience personal peace. That's available to you right now. When you trust Jesus Christ as Savior, you can have peace with God in your life immediately. The Bible says, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Rom. 5:1).

World peace is a wonderful goal and it will be a great day when it happens, but personal peace right now is even greater. Peace among all the nations of the world will last only while Satan is imprisoned (Rev. 20:7-8). Our peace with God, on the other hand, will last forever (Ps. 16:11; 1 Thess. 4:17).

There has to be peace in the heart before there can be peace in the world.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Exodus 21:22-25 Romans 1:24-27 Isaiah 5:20

Tampering With The Contents

Isaiah 5:20

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

Tampering With the Contents

On February 8, 1986, a Peekskill, New York, woman took a Tylenol capsule she had purchased at the local supermarket. Unknown to her, the bottle had been tampered with and the contents were contaminated with a lethal dose of potassium cyanide. Instead of helping her as she expected, the medicine took her life. Johnson and Johnson, the manufacturers of Tylenol, responded by removing the product from store shelves and reissuing the drug in caplet form contained in tamper-resistant bottles. These actions, however, could not alleviate the pain and grief of this woman's loved ones.

Millions of people have turned to the Bible to find relief from the pain of sin. Some, unfortunately, have not found the relief they sought. Instead they discover that people and churches have tampered with the words of Scripture, changing and adding to their meaning—even making what God says is evil appear to be good. For example, homosexuality is not a sin (Rom. 1:24-27), they claim, but an alternate lifestyle. Abortion is not murder (Ex. 21:22-25); it's a choice. What the Bible calls adultery, these people refer to euphemistically as "having an affair." Fornication is passed over as "living together." What is called drunkenness in God's Word is called the "disease of alcoholism" by a society bent on calling evil good and good evil. Obedience, on the other hand, is labeled as legalism, and zeal for the Lord is rejected as fanaticism.

Don't be fooled by this truth twisting. What God calls evil will never be made acceptable simply by using another word. Make sure that your beliefs are based on the solid foundation of God's Word. To keep your faith "tamper-proof," compare everything you hear with the Bible and see what God has to say. The Gospel is life-giving, but these additives and contradictions can be fatal.

Truth can't be improved with additives.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Romans 8:37 Isaiah 6:2-3

In the Presence of Holiness

Isaiah 6:2-3

Above [the throne] stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!"

In the Presence of Holiness

Dr. Bob Cook, president of the former King's College, New York, once mentioned that he had been at a gathering in Washington. While there he spoke with then-Vice President George Bush. Two hours later he chatted briefly with President Ronald Reagan. Smiling broadly, Dr. Cook added, "But that's nothing! Today I talked to God!"

Every Christian has the privilege of entering into the presence of God and speaking to the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. When we bow in prayer, the portals of heaven open and we have access to Him who sits on heaven's throne.

Isaiah's vision gives us some idea of what God's throne room must be like. It is a place permeated with the holiness of God. The seraphim standing above the throne cry out, "Holy, holy, holy." This thrice-repeated exclamation serves to emphasize the depths to which God's holiness exists. When we come before our Creator, we enter the intimate presence of a Holy God.

Is that how you approach God in prayer? Do you do so with the same sense of awe these seraphim have? They cover their face because God is too awesome and splendid to look upon. Even the highest of the angelic orders cover their feet before God in a gesture of humility. We must come into His presence with that same reverence. But like the seraphim, wings ready to fly at His command, you and I should also be prepared to proclaim His glory throughout the world. We come before Him with a sense of reverence, awe and obedience to serve. When we bow with these attitudes, we rise as more than conquerors (Rom. 8:37).

Holy praying requires a wholly prepared pray-er.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Isaiah 6:1-8

Don't Be a Nobody

Isaiah 6:8

Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

Don't Be a Nobody

Once upon a time there were four men named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was asked to do it. But Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it. But Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about it, because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, and Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody and Nobody did the job that Anybody could have done in the first place.

Nobody is still alive and well in our churches. When the pastor pleads for someone to teach Sunday school, Nobody is the most likely one to respond. When clean-up day rolls around, Nobody reports for duty. When there is a need to provide housing for a visiting college chorale, Nobody is first in line. How refreshing it must be for God to hear Somebody say, "Here am I! Send me."

When Isaiah envisioned the Holy God and the spiritual need of the unholy world, he was energized to respond to the Lord's calling (Isa. 6:1-8). When he was released from the burden of his sin, he found a new enthusiasm for serving God. And so will you.

When you hear the summons to duty, don't avoid the opportunity—or Nobody will end up doing it. Instead of a Nobody, be the Somebody who is willing to respond enthusiastically to the opportunities of service to God. Instead of making excuses and letting others do the work, find the joy of being God's instrument to accomplish His will in the world.

Be God's Somebody; don't let Nobody get all the credit.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: 2 Kings 15:30 2 Kings 16:9 2 Kings 16:5 Isaiah 6:1-8 Isaiah 7:14

The God of the Impossible

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.

The God of the Impossible

Maybe you have seen the sign that says, "The difficult is done immediately; the impossible takes a little longer." Those who display such an advertisement are only engaging in wishful thinking. But for God, doing the impossible is a reality.

As Isaiah surrendered himself to be a messenger for God (Isa. 6:1-8), he was given an amazing prophecy. As a sign for his own day, it was given as an encouragement for Ahaz, king of Judah. Faced with threats from the king of Syria and the king of Israel (2 Kings 16:5), Ahaz was fearful. But through the Isaiah, God reassured him, saying, "Don't be afraid. A child will be born and before this child is old enough to tell right from wrong, these enemies will be destroyed." And they were. That child was born in 734 B.C. and was about two years old when Rezin, king of Syria, was killed by the Assyrians (2 Kings 16:9) and Pekah, king of Israel, was assassinated by Hoshea (2 Kings 15:30).

Yet an even more amazing fulfillment lay ahead. The prophecy had a near and far fulfillment. As Isaiah looked down the annals of history, he foresaw a day when God would do something that was truly amazing. Out of the womb of a virgin would come a child fathered by the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, He would be called Immanuel, which means "God with us" because He would be God, the second Person of the Trinity, and He would dwell with men and women. In a way that exceeds human understanding, God would compact Himself into the body of a baby and grow up to become a man. That man was Jesus Christ, God the Son, who would die for our sins.

In the same way, God can deal with the challenges of your life, whether they be merely difficult or totally impossible. He who brought forth His Son, born of a virgin, is more than adequate for anything that may be facing you.

Only God can take the "im" out of impossible.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: John 9:5 Acts 8:5-8 1 Kings 15:20 Isaiah 9:2

A Light in the Darkness

Isaiah 9:2

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.

A Light in the Darkness

An artist created a painting of a wintry twilight. The trees were barren and laden with snow while a dreary-looking house stood desolate in the midst of the drifted field. It was a bleak and depressing picture. Then the artist took some yellow paint and with a few quick strokes painted a candle glowing in one of the windows of that home. The effect was almost magical. Just one little light and the entire scene was transformed into a vision of comfort and cheer.

The prophet Isaiah looked at his own country and recognized a need for comfort and cheer. He saw the spiritual darkness that enveloped many parts of his nation, especially in the north around the Sea of Galilee. This area had been conquered by the Syrian king Ben-Hadad (1 Kings 15:20) and became a melting pot of Jews and Gentiles. A mixture of Judaism and paganism became the dominant religion. The situation looked hopeless, but even into this stronghold of darkness and spiritual death, Isaiah saw a light break forth. Centuries later, when the apostles began to preach the resurrected Christ, this area became the center of a great revival (Acts 8:5-8). Indeed, the light of Christ's redemption shone brightly.

Whether it's your nation or your personal life, the light of Christ makes a difference. In the darkness of sin, you can find the light of His forgiveness. In the darkness of ignorance, His wisdom illumines the way. In the darkness of trials and trouble, His presence dispels the blackness. Whatever darkness threatens to overshadow your life, let Jesus be the light who drives it away. Jesus is the light of the world (John 9:5).

Wherever it is darkest, Christ shines the brightest.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: 1 John 4:1 Romans 5:1 Matthew 28:18 John 1:1 Mark 12:17 Matthew 7:28-29 Isaiah 9:6

Prince of Peace

Isaiah 9:6

For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

What's in a Name?

Names are important. In fact, they are so important that the maker of Jelly Belly jelly beans puts the name of that candy on every little bean so consumers can distinguish them from "impostors." The chairman of the company said, "We want to guarantee consumers they are eating the best jelly beans on the market."

The same can be said for Jesus. There are many impostors who lay claim to the title of Christ. Billy Graham once noted that there are more than 2,000 people in the United States who claim to be a Messiah. Cult leaders such as Marshall Applewhite of Heaven's Gate and David Koresh of the Branch Davidians posed as Messianic figures, but led their followers to disaster.

Isaiah, however, says that the real Messiah will fulfill the roles of the Wonderful One, the Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Only one person has fulfilled all those names—Jesus Christ. His counsel has been wonderful (Matt. 7:28-29; Mark 12:17). His power has been irresistible (Matt. 28:18). He has forever existed with the Father (John 1:1). And He alone is able to bring us peace (Rom. 5:1).

Don't be deceived by impostors. They may claim to be the Messiah, but they lack the obvious imprint of His names. They may appear to be genuine, but the apostle John warned, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). There is only one Messiah, the Lord Jesus.

Don't settle for less than the real thing—Jesus Christ.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Galatians 4:4-5 Isaiah 11:1-2

The Rod of Jesse

Isaiah 11:1-2

There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

The Rod of Jesse

During World War II, Hitler's bombers rained destruction upon London from the skies. Over 15,000 people lost their lives and many parts of the city were reduced to rubble. Yet when spring came, an amazing thing happened. Beautiful wildflowers, many of them thought extinct, sprang up in the midst of the devastation. Botanists concluded that the seeds had laid dormant under buildings and other structures until the bomb blasts exposed them and gave them the opportunity to germinate.

Isaiah foresaw a day when Israel also would be devastated. The word for stem means a stump. David's lineage would be decimated. His mighty family tree would be chopped down to a stub.

Yet God would be faithful. Out of that "stump" would come the One who would be the Savior of the world. At a time when civilization lay devastated by the effects of sin, when the rubble of broken lives would be scattered over the countryside, a Branch from a tree long thought dead would appear with the promise of new life.

And so it happened. Paul declared, "But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons" (Gal. 4:4-5).

If the landscape of your life has been ravaged by discouragement and despair, look to Jesus, who is able to bring the hope of new life. Perhaps you have lost a loved one and life looks bleak. Maybe health problems have left you feeling like you're living in a war zone. Or family problems have created craters deep enough to swallow you whole. God will still be faithful to you. Give Him the "stump" of your life and watch Him grow a healthy and prosperous branch. Only the Rod of Jesse can give you such hope.

God can bring riches out of rubble.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Psalm 51:12 Isaiah 12:2-3

The Joy of My Salvation

Isaiah 12:2-3

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for YAH, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation. Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."

The Joy of My Salvation

Someone once asked Haydn, the famous church musician, why his music was so cheerful. He replied, "I cannot make it otherwise. When I think upon God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap from my pen!"

Isaiah felt the same way. As he thought about the Lord, he reveled in the realization that God was totally trustworthy. He need never be afraid. No one could harm him when he was under the care of an omnipotent God. Furthermore, it was from this same God that he could draw his strength—not just physical strength, but the strength to face the trials and tribulations of life. Yet the crowning touch came as he considered that God was also the "well" of his salvation. Just as someone could draw life-saving water from a well in the ground, so Isaiah rejoiced that he could draw from the Lord the spiritual water he needed for his eternal life.

Such thoughts are the secret to a constant attitude of joy. But don't take your joy for granted. After David's sin with Bathsheba, God used the prophet Nathan to bring him to repentance. In the midst of his sorrow over his sin, David cried out, "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation" (Ps. 51:12). When David lost his fellowship with God, he did not lose his salvation, but he did lose his joy. And without the joy, our salvation is lacking an important ingredient.

Is your salvation a source of joy in your life? Do you delight in your relationship with God? If not, confess any sin that might be blocking that joy and then let your heart be filled with the joy that only God can give.

If there is no joy in your salvation, check what's in the well of your religion.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Isaiah 17:13-14

Trouble in the Evening

Isaiah 17:13-14

The nations will rush like the rushing of many waters; but God will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like the chaff of the mountains before the wind, like a rolling thing before the whirlwind. Then behold, at eventide, trouble! And before the morning, he is no more. This is the portion of those who plunder us, and the lot of those who rob us.

Trouble in the Evening

What do Assyria, Babylon and the Roman Empire have in common? All of them, at one time or another, conquered Israel. Yet they share another commonality—none of them exists today as a nation. You will never get an Assyrian stamp in your passport. No one will every proudly announce to you, "I'm a Babylonian!" None of these once-powerful nations has survived into the 20th century—but Israel has.

Throughout history men and nations have demonstrated their hatred for God's people. The Roman Emperor Diocletian is a good example. He issued an edict in 303 A.D. designed to annihilate the Christian religion and destroy the Bible. The emperor even built a monument on which were inscribed the words Extincto nomene Christianorum (The name Christian is extinguished). Only 25 years later, however, the emperor was dead, and the new ruler, Constantine, commissioned 50 copies of the Bible to be prepared at government expense.

Are you are facing persecution at work or school? Maybe people in your own family are seeking to discourage you from living out your Christian faith. God never promised that you wouldn't face these kinds of trials. What He did promise, however, was that ultimately those who afflict His people will fail. Your day of difficulties may seem long, but it won't last forever. Take heart! Morning is coming and when the sun rises, the night of despair is no more.

For every night of trouble, there's a morning of glory.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Isaiah 25:1

Praise the Lord

Isaiah 25:1

O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things; Your counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Praise the Lord

William Law, in his Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, wrote, "Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives the most alms, or is best known for temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God for it."

Isaiah certainly fits Law's definition of a great saint. Even though this Old Testament prophet lived in a time of tremendous political upheaval, he never lost his sense of awe at God's greatness. He could see God at work doing "wonderful things." And despite the danger and peril that surrounded him, Isaiah was always ready to sing God's praises. He continually rejoiced in the knowledge that God's counsel is faithful and true.

Christians today live in a high-stress world as well. In some countries their physical lives are in danger. Kent Hill, executive director of The Institute on Religion and Democracy, said, "There have been more martyrs produced in the 20th century than in all the other centuries combined since the time of Christ." In the Western world the stress is more likely to come from rapid changes in technology and society. Yet these struggles produce anxieties and apprehension that are real as well.

What's the solution? Give yourself to praise. Whatever your situation, the all-powerful, all-knowing God of the universe is worthy to be exalted and glorified. Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, once said, "Something happens to the man who praises God; his life is blessed and enriched and he is strengthened." Let that be true of your life as well. Determine to take some quality time today just to praise the Lord. See if your day doesn't go better.

Faith runs best when oiled with praise.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Isaiah 26:3 Philippians 4:7 James 1:6-8

Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

Perfect Peace

Several years ago a submarine was being tested and had to remain submerged for many days. When it returned to port, someone asked the captain, "How did the terrible storm last night affect you?" The officer looked at him in surprise and exclaimed, "Storm? We didn't even know there was a storm!" The sub had been so far beneath the surface that it had reached the area known to sailors as "the cushion of the sea." Although violent storms might whip the ocean above into huge waves, the waters deep below are never stirred.

This is the promise that God gives to every believer who is willing to put his total trust in Him. The word for perfect that Isaiah uses means "complete, with no parts missing." God will give us a peace, not just in some circumstances but in all. We will have peace about our family, about our finances and about our health. When we surrender our lives to Him, the God of peace gives us a peace that "surpasses all understanding" (Phil. 4:7). It is a peace that guards both our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. It's a deep-down peace.

But this peace comes only to those who truly believe in and focus on the promises of God. The apostle James wrote that the person who allows doubts to cause division in his mind will be "like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind . . . he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways" (James 1:6, 8).

As you read your Bible, be alert to the promises of God. Keep a list of those that are especially precious to you. Think about them. Meditate on them. Focus your attention on them. Pray back these promises to God, not as a reminder to Him, but as a reminder to yourself. If you fill your mind with His promises, God will fill your heart with His peace.

God's peace is for those who trust His purposes.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: 1 Peter 2:6 Matthew 21:42 Isaiah 28:16

Building on the Cornerstone

Isaiah 28:16

Therefore thus says the Lord God: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily."

Building on the Cornerstone

Historically, the cornerstone was the most important part of any building. The total weight of an edifice rested on this particular stone, which, if removed, would collapse the whole structure. The cornerstone was also the key to keeping the walls straight. The builders would take sightings along the edges of this part of the building. If the cornerstone was set properly, the stonemasons could be assured that all the other corners of the building would be at the appropriate angles as well. Thus, the cornerstone became a symbol for that which held life together.

In the days of Isaiah, the leaders of Israel had chosen to rest their security on a different cornerstone. They chose to put their trust in their own political savvy. Through various military alliances, they thought they could hold their nation together. Ultimately, however, this shaky cornerstone failed and Israel was taken captive by the Babylonians.

Yet God declared through Isaiah that He would establish a cornerstone that would never fail—a stone that could be trusted because it had been tried and proven to be precious and sure.

The New Testament writers recognized that this stone was Jesus Christ. The Savior said of Himself, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone'" (Matt. 21:42). The apostle Peter repeated Isaiah's prophecy and added, "And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame" (1 Pet. 2:6).

When the pressures of life bear down on you, there's only one cornerstone capable of handling the weight. When your need for guidance is urgent, there's only one cornerstone you can trust to keep your life straight. That cornerstone is Jesus. Trust Him with every aspect of your lives, and you will find that He never fails. He's not just a Rock; He's the Cornerstone.

A solid life begins with an immovable cornerstone.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Isaiah 30:15

The Quiet Spirit

Isaiah 30:15 For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: "In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength." But you would not . . . .

The Quiet Spirit

Human wisdom seldom produces the results that we desire. In an issue of Meat & Poultry magazine, the editors reported on a device used by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to test the strength of windshields on airplanes. The device launches a dead chicken at a plane's windshield at approximately the speed the planes flies. This indicates if the windshield could withstand a real collision with a bird during flight.

The British railway authorities were so impressed they borrowed the FAA's chicken launcher to test the windshield of one of their new high-speed train engines. In their test, however, the chicken not only went through the windshield but also the engineer's chair and embedded itself in the back wall of the engine cab. Stunned, the British asked the FAA to recheck everything to see if they had done anything wrong. After thoroughly checking it out, the FAA had one recommendation: "Next time, don't use a frozen chicken."

The people of Israel also were seeking solutions, but they, too, were looking to human wisdom. God noted that they trusted "in oppression and perversity" (v. 12). He called upon them to rest in Him, but they declared, "No, for we will flee on horses." Therefore God concluded, "those who pursue you shall be swift!" (v. 16). All their human wisdom would end in failure. When viewed objectively, human wisdom doesn't have much of a track record.

If you are going through a troubled time, stop trusting in human wisdom. Instead, let your spirit be quiet before God. Take the difficulties that are bothering you and prayerfully hand each one to Him. Leave them in His care and rest confident that He who loved you so much that He sacrificed His only Son for your salvation, also loves you enough to deal with whatever might be disturbing your heart today.

The key to a quiet spirit is a trusting heart.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________

[nChrist]

Author: Woodrow Kroll
Source: Lessons on Living from Isaiah
Scripture: Isaiah 53:6 Isaiah 30:21

This Is the Way

Isaiah 30:21

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.

This Is the Way

It used to be when you were lost that you stopped at a gas station and asked for directions. Hopefully the person who directed you knew what he was talking about. Technology, however, is changing all that. Rockwell International has produced the PathMaster system, which uses a satellite not only to beam route instructions to specially equipped automobiles but also allows the user to call up reviews of nearby restaurants and hotels. Etak Incorporated is offering a similar program, but in addition to travel directions it also keeps the driver up-to-date via satellite on possible traffic tie-ups and provides alternate routing instructions if necessary. The cost of these systems? Around $3,000.

Isaiah tells us, however, that there is a guidance system that takes no extra equipment or cash. All it takes is a heart sensitive to the still, small voice of God.

God has always been concerned with the direction in which mankind is headed. When He inquired of Adam in the Garden of Eden, "Where are you?" it was because He knew that Adam had veered off course. When the Israelites left the land of Egypt, He gave them a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night so that they would not lose their way. Isaiah confessed that the people of his day were "like sheep [that] have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way" (Isa. 53:6). But God did not give up on them. Instead He offered to restore them and give them the guidance they needed.

If you need God's guidance today, make sure your heart is right with Him. Then claim His promise. If you will listen to the voice of His Spirit, He will guide you through every twist and turn of your life's journey. He will tell you the way. Will you walk in it?

If you want to know God's way, you have to listen for His voice.

____________________

This devotional is freely distributed by Back To The Bible.
Did you enjoy this devotional?
Send it on for a friend to enjoy.
FREE E-mail Subscription:
http://www.backtothebible.org/aboutus/email_entry.htm
____________________