Isaiah 45 started out with these words in verse 1. “Thus says the Lord to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have held…” God chose a pagan king for His purpose at that time.

His choice of words have always intrigued me. I titled my first book from verse 3. Verses 3-4 say, “I will go before you and make the crooked places straight; I will break in pieces the gates of bronze and cut the bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places…”

The world is FULL of treasures. The souls of the unbelievers are imprisoned and shackled with sin-bars of iron so that they can’t escape. Isaiah 61:1 says of the Lord, “…to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.”

We are the Lord’s anointed ones. He called us out of darkness. He broke the chains of sin that bound us. We were captive to satan, but our Redeemer bought us off his slave block for His purpose in this time.

We have been freed that we might bring a message of hope through the gospel. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…”

We are in a season that has shaken the world. People are looking for answers. We are ambassadors. We are the Lord’s representatives. 2 Corinthians 5:20 says, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

Isaiah 42:6-7 was the Father speaking of His Son. It says, “I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, and will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles (that’s us) to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.”

Verse 8 says, “I am the LORD, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another…” Isaiah 43:7 says, “Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.”

John 17:4 says, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.” John 15:8 says, “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

He brings us out of darkness into His marvelous light so that our lives will glorify Him in every aspect of our lives. We have one calling: glorifying Him. We glorify Him by emulating His character. Is the tree of your life bearing succulent fruit that others desire to eat?

2 Timothy 1:9 summed it the above verses. It says, “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.”

As we go back to Isaiah 45, six times He says: there is none besides Me. I encourage you to read them. Verse 5, 6, 14, 18, 21, and 22.

Little ‘g’ gods have no place in the life of an authentic follower of Jesus. Now the enemy of our soul knows this, and he uses all manner of stealth as he seeks to set up idols in our heart to pull us off course. A heart idol is anything that we give place to first before the Lord. I encourage you to examine your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any hidden heart-idol.

One of the roots to fear is unbelief. Isaiah 41:10 says, “Fear not, for I am with you…” When we do not consciously believe and act on our belief that the Lord is with us, fear can creep in and take root.

The verse goes on to say, “…be not dismayed, for I am your God…” Dismay means to lose courage or be distressed. Our courage comes from our solid inner heart knowledge that God is our God and He is with us and for us.

Let’s continue, “…I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Here is an illustration for strength. Please picture a heavy metal chain. Then take a long piece of hair and weave it through each link. How strong is that hair? Colossians 3:3 says, “For you died, and your life is HIDDEN with Christ in God.”

Think back to Joshua. His mentor Moses was dead. What did the Lord say to Joshua? Three times He said to be strong and of good courage. Verse 9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Notice the premise of God’s command. He said that He would be with him wherever he went. It is the same with us. Do not let the fiery dart-lies of fear penetrate your heart. 2 Timothy 1:7 says that fear is a spirit. We fight fear with the truth of God’s attributes. We stand in them until our heart wraps around and embraces them with refusal to let go.

The next time a thought causing fear whispers its lie, do not give it another thought! Immediately engage this unseen warfare with the sword of God’s word. Let your sword whack that lie to pieces. Then rejoice in Who the Lord is at all times. Psalm 149:6 says, “Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand.”

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Proclaiming Victory! heart songs of deliverance

The Power Of Forgiveness: embracing heart-freeing truths

Displacing Fear: enthroning the gift of peace

Cultivating Our Heart: repurposing fallow ground

Also, my book Daily Thoughts: rich insights from my quiet time is now available in ebook, paperback, and my first large print. It is a dynamic 90 day devotional that will give your New Year a delightful start. It is by day and not by date. Here is day 1 for you. You can let me know in the comments section how many bundles you would like to order. I will give you the specifics then.

Day 1

When Circumstances Don’t Make Sense

Jeremiah was in a circumstance that did not make sense. Jerusalem was under siege. He was imprisoned. He had a word from the Lord earlier saying that they would not succeed against the Chaldeans, but would be carried away to Babylon.

Then the Lord gave him a word to purchase a field. Jeremiah’s response was to pray for understanding. Jeremiah 32:17-25 was his prayer. Verse 17, “Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.”

He continued to recount who the Lord is: shows lovingkindness, great in counsel, mighty in work, and with eyes that are open to the works of men.

Verse 24 he says, “Look, the siege mounts! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans…”

Verse 25 says, “And You have said to me, O Lord God, Buy the field for money, and take witnesses!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”

Jeremiah could not make sense of why the Lord would tell him to buy a field when the land had been sieged by the enemy and they were all going to be carried away.

Verse 26-35 was the Lord’s recall of why He allowed the enemy to capture them. Then verse 37 says, “…I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.” Verse 40 says, “…I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me.”

Isaiah 5:13 says, “Therefore my people have gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge…” Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…”

Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Let us follow Jeremiah’s example and pray for understanding in our worldwide present circumstance that doesn’t make sense. The key is to return to the fear of the Lord. Let us ask Him to put His fear in all our hearts so that we will not depart from Him.

Psalm 97:9 says, “For You, Lord, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods.” Psalm 103:19 says, “The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”

Philippians 2:10-11 are inescapable words. They say, “That at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Each time I read 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 I marvel. You can read them for yourselves. Verse 28 says, “Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”

When we add His attribute of Sovereign Ruler Over All into our prayer, we are speaking irrefutable truth. There is no wiggle room. We are all under His sovereignty.

Isaiah 40:23 says, “He brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth useless.” Daniel 1:21-22 says, “And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in darkness, and light dwells with Him.”

I encourage you, that as you pray for our nation and the world, and for the answers to this pandemic, to add in the verses about His sovereignty. He is the final word in all things. 1 Corinthians 15:24 says, “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.”

I love reading Isaiah 40. It is such a magnificent wording of His attributes. Verse 12 says, “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?”

I would like you to cup your hand (hollow) and spread out your fingers (span) and then begin to think about the Lord’s hand. As I did it yesterday I could feel my mind stretching. Then try to wrap your mind around verse 25 which says, “To whom then will you liken Me, or to whom shall I be equal?” As I was quietly contemplating these verses a new song bubbled up:

Lord Over All
When I think about You Lord, how that You are over all, my mind feels like it stretches to comprehend. No one is Your equal. All Power, All Knowing, All Present describe but the tip of Your attributes. You, the Eternal One, created eternity. You have no beginning nor end. You have no boundaries, no limitation, nor barriers. All You created is for You and You alone.

You created man from dust, and to dust he returns. Yet Your Spirit dwells within me. Your breath is my life. Your words are my compass, to lead me in Your righteousness. You call me to be holy as You. How can it be that You would love me enough to pay for my sins? You set me free to live eternally with You. I bow in adoration.

Here is another verse to ponder. Verse 28 says, “…the Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.”

The Lord’s attribute of being unequaled is beyond our comprehension. We literally have nothing to compare Him to. Paul interrupted his writing and just broke out in words of adoration in 1 Timothy 1:17. It says, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

I love to add His attribute of being unequaled as I pray. I never cease to marvel as the words slip in. It is glorious to be lifting others up before the only One who can meet their need. He is unequaled in His ability and power. Nothing, absolutely nothing can thwart His purpose!

Last night I was reading the account of Hezekiah in Isaiah 37. These were the words the Lord was speaking about the king of Assyria through His prophet Isaiah. Verse 28 says, “But I know your dwelling place, your going out and your coming in, and your rage against Me.”

The Lord knows everything about everyone, yes, even those who rage against Him. No one is able to hide anything from the One who Is All Knowing.

So it is in our lives. Psalm 139 is a perfect reminder. David’s words testify the truth. Verses 1-4 say, “O Lord, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.”

As we pray, adding in His attribute of All Knowing, we can take courage. Everything that has and is taking place in the whole world is open before Him. Since He is All Knowing, He knows the evil plans of man’s thoughts before they can execute them.

Remember that He is the Divine Orchestrator. He uses evil for His own purposes. Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. ALL things were created through Him and FOR Him.”

Let me remind you of Hebrews 4:13. I use the words from the Amplified when I am adding His All Knowing attribute to my prayers. It says, “And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with Whom we have to do.”

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In this book you will find practical application to God’s specific words about forgiving as we have been forgiven. It may seem impossible, but His word fully equips us to forgive those who have deeply wounded our heart.

Unforgiveness gives the enemy of our soul little rooms in our heart. Those rooms are full of bitter memories that eat away our health one thought at a time. It is time to take back those rooms and fill them with God’s word, and increase our capacity to hold His truths in our hearts.

I think of the verses in Jeremiah 23:23-24 which say, “Am I a God near at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, so I shall not see him? says the Lord; do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.”

The Lord is everywhere at once. Thinking about this attribute to add into prayer can be rather mind stretching. Nothing in all the world’s activities is hidden from Him.
He dwells in the heart of every born again believer. Amy Carmichael, missionary in India, would say: He is closer to me than air. I love Psalm 46:1 which says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Here is another in Psalm 145:18 which says, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth.”

The Lord is present throughout the world, but he personally manifests His presence in multiple ways. As we add this attribute into our prayers we are affirming what is, not asking Him to come. Instead of saying something like ‘be with me now’ we would say, ‘I am so grateful You are with me right now. I acknowledge that You are present with me in this trying situation.’

The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night was a tangible manifestation of the Lord. There was no question in the minds of the children of Israel. We don’t have the cloud or the pillar, but we have God’s written word. John 14:21 says, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

As we add His attribute of All Present into our prayers, let us look for His manifestation through His answers. He is at work now globally, within our nation, and our lives personally. Let us be alert watchers and join Him in what He is calling us to do.

I love the word ‘all’ because it leaves no wiggle room. All have sinned. That means everyone without exception. For God so loved the world and whoever (everyone without exception) believes in Him will have everlasting life.

Today I want to look at how God is All Powerful. I continually rejoice in the truth that He has ALL power. That means no one else, nor anything has any because He has it all. Psalm 2 is very clear. Verse 9 was speaking about the nations. It says, “You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Of course there is pseudo power, but that is all it is–a facade. In Luke 4 the devil dared to lure Jesus to give up His power. The dare fell flat because the Lord’s sword hacked it to pieces.

Let us take note. It is God’s word that defeats the enemy of our soul. His word is His wielding weapon. Isaiah 59:19 says, “…when the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him.” It is ours as well. Psalm 149:5-9 in part says, “…a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance…and punishments…to bind…”

Remember the Rabshekeh’s words of threat? I want to remind you of what happened. 2 Kings 19:35 says, “And it came to pass on a certain night that the angel of the Lord went out, and killed in the camp of the Assyrians one hundred and eighty-five (185!) thousand…” In verse 37 two sons of the king of Assyria killed their father with the sword.

As we pray and add in the Lord attributes, our words would come straight from Scripture. I love to use Job 42:2 to remind myself that He is All Powerful. It says, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.”

2 Peter 1:4 says, “By which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakes of the divine nature…” As we pray with His attributes in mind, we are entering into the truth of who He is at ALL times.