https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3FE0iL3sfk
YouTube – Gloom to Glory by a Great Light: Isaiah 9:1-7,
Part 1
By Desiring God (11 min 58 sec)
“But there will be no more gloom for her who was in
anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali
with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea,
on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.
“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light;
those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. You shall multiply the nation, you shall
increase their gladness; they will be glad in Your presence as with the
gladness of harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
“For You shall break the yoke of their Burden and the
staff of their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian. For every boot of the booted warrior in the
battle tumult, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the
fire.
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to
us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful
Counsellor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
“There will be no end to the increase of His government
or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and
to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will accomplish
this.” Isaiah 9:1-7
Imagine the Pharisees, teaching Scripture in Israel
during Roman occupation. Rome had a
strict methodology to ‘Romanise’ a defeated nation. They were authoritarian and blindly just and would
never permit another perspective on their rule, even if the locals thought it
was God's perspective.
So, it was natural that the teachers saw this prophecy as relevant to their today and saw the passage quite differently from the Truth: They thought this ‘great light’ would usher in
victory over the oppressive boot of Roman occupation, that a high-born descendant
of king David would assume the throne, conquer and remove the Romans from
the land. No wonder most missed the
Truth.
Jesus, however, was born quietly and in poor
circumstances. He came to the common
man, the poor man, the reviled and rejected, the lost and the lowly, the lonely
and afraid. Who could have or who can hope
to ever fully understand the breath of His magnificent love and sacrifice for
all those who will believe in Him! (also
see Matthew 4:12-17)
Take care with love, especially His, Darlene (who still
prays for you daily)
PSS: Find my
statement of faith: https://especiallyhislove.blogspot.com
(where you will also find a series of
beginner Bible studies to share). Find the WeakDay Devotion online by doing a
Google search for ‘WeakDay Devotion’.
(Also, there is an android ‘Google
Blogger’ app you can download to read them on your phone. Not sure about Apple.). For the books, go to Amazon
books.
Please update your PRAYER REQUESTS
·
URGENT ISRAEL– please
pray for those caught up in the horror of this unwanted war. Pray especially that Israel will locate and
save the many hostages still held captive.
Please
Pray for those who have lost loved ones, continued protection of the
hostages, for the Israeli soldiers and strategists moving through enemy
territory to restore peace and purify the land of all the terrorists. Pray also for the Palestinian people – many are
helpless captives of the terrorists.
·
NEW – Lindsey - the youngest daughter (now all
grown up) of my dearest friends, Annette and Lyle. Lindsey needs your prayers for healing and
strengthening. Pray for her patience and
the wisdom of her health care providers.
·
David
– was in hospital for observation and special treatment of his congestive heart
symptoms and pneumonia. He is now home
and feeling better, but tired. Pray for
his patience and continued wisdom for his health carers, and for Heidi, his daughter and sole carer to be
strong and healthy.
·
Barbara –
the beloved wife of my brother, Tim (who passed away suddenly early this
year). Please pray God places people in
her path who will help her with all the things He knows she needs help with. Pray for Barb’s peace and protection at
night.
·
Patti and John
– Pray the Lord keeps them safe and healthy and that they are encouraged in the
strength of the Lord and never compromise the truth of the Bible for any
reason. (Joshuah 1:6-9).
·
Jeff and
Rachael’s family, Peyton and Carter - Payton, granddaughter, now a
senior in university. Carter, their son,
now a freshman in college. Both are
exceptional students and love the Lord. Pray
they are not distracted by worldly things, that the Lord watches over and
protects them, that they continue to do well in their studies and that their
love of God’s Word increases daily.
·
Sarah and Andrew – he left his job a year ago -- she went to work
in a new role. Pray for this precious
Christian couple that they focus on family balance to the glory of the Lord.
·
Bettina –
continue to pray for her as she grows into a new phase of her life in the Lord. Pray each of her five married daughters, spouses
and 18 grandchildren grow to love and follow the Lord Jesus Christ.
·
Ian –
continue to pray that his desire to grow his understanding and effectiveness
with personal evangelism is fulfilled.
·
Elina –
needs God’s wisdom and the courage of her convictions and resolve to live a
life that is Christ-honouring for herself and her young son, Jimmy.
·
Megan (for
emotional healing) and Scott, her
husband (for patience and wisdom) and wisdom for his sister, Clare, as she seeks to support them through
troubled times.
·
Christine –
give her strength as she journeys to heart-healing and pray her husband gives
his heart to the Lord.
·
Robin –
lost her beloved mother (was 93 years old), please pray for strength and
healing for her as she navigates through this time of mourning and for her
daughter who is comforting her.
·
Pray for true,
Christ-centered revival in America.
Pray for those in full-time service
Pray the Lord upholds our Christian leaders – that they never compromise God’s Word and remain bold and courageous in the face of evil. Pray for their wisdom, safety, ingenuity, strength and for their families.
Pray Especially for Salvation for:
·
Becky
– recovering and in rehabilitation for spinal surgery. Pray for her patience and for her health care
providers to be wise and compassionate, that her family rallies around her to
care for her and, most of all, that she finds the Lord in all this.
·
Fred and Barb –
brother of Patti -- for salvation.
·
Bryan and Julie
(Patti’s daughter) Pray for the salvation of at least one of the family and
that the others will follow shortly thereafter.
They are parents of Callilah, Adrian, Micah, Kevin and Nate --
lost, damaged and troubled children – all of whom we have prayed for over the
years.
·
Sophie–
six-year-old daughter of a friend is chronically ill and frail. Please pray for her, her parents and health
carers to find ways to manage her symptoms and heal her and that this will lead
them all to God’s saving grace.
·
Paul –
please pray for him. He still has not
found a job or work after more than ten years.
Please pray the Lord provides needed work so he can begin to heal and
strengthen.
·
Pray for Jeff and
Rachael’s family in Louisville to
desire and seek a relationship with the Lord.
·
Peggy – a
dear friend and colleague of my sister-in-law who has been battling cancer in
her neck for years. Her new oncologist
has started a combination of chemo and radiation that seems to be working, but
she is miserable. Please pray for her as
she waits for her body to heal and strengthen and that she finds salvation.
·
Sue and Rob – opened their home to support Luke who is angry and lost. He has been there a long time now and refuses
to move out. Please pray the Lord saves
all three and that Luke realises he must take responsibility for his own
life. Pray for continued patience and
compassion of Sue and Rob.
·
Demi and John – one evening John went out their backdoor to run
an errand and was attacked by someone with a knife who stabbed him several
times (one pierced his heart). He has
recovered physically, but pray for him and his wife as they pull their lives
together – that they might find the Lord in all the chaos left behind.
·
Jen N –
a Jewish woman I’ve met at work, please pray for her that she will find a new
role and that she stays safe and healthy.
Please pray for her and her two boys (ages 16 and 17).
Pray for those with ongoing health concerns
Many of us have family, friends and loved ones with fragile health. Pray God takes special care with them and protects them in practical ways and that the Lord will have mercy on them.
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