Holy Smoke

Isaiah 6:1-5¶ In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. ¶ Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

Our valley has been filled with a dense smoke and a light dusting of ash as a wildfire burns out of control an hour west of us. It is anything but holy as it causes breathing difficulties for the ill, elderly and those who must work outside. However, as I have observed the smoke, it reminded me of a song called "Holy Smoke" sung by a favorite Christian group of mine. It is based on Isaiah's vision in Isaiah 6. When the seraphims cried out in praise, "Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory" the house was filled with smoke. The presence of the Lord filled that place.

God inhabits the praise of His people. Psalm 22:3 tells us, "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." Isaiah said, "Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips...for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." True praise toward God will always result in a realization of just how holy He is and how unworthy we are to come before Him. It is only through the merits and righteousness of Jesus Christ that we can become worthy enough to stand in His presence. Isaiah forshadows this when he talks about the garments of salvation and being covered with the robe of righteousness.

Isaiah 61:10 ¶ I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

Do you want the presence (Holy Smoke) of the LORD to fill your house and life? Offer up praise to His name in spite of what is going on in your life and the LORD will make His presence known in you life.

Dear Father, Complaining about the smoke is easy, but as I let it remind me of the holy smoke of Your presence that filled the house in Isaiah's time, it brings me to praise You for Your holiness. Amen.

 

 

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Our God

This is not my usual devotional style, but this week I have been doing a study on who God is and I came up with a lengthy list. I wanted to share this list with you because I thought it might be a springboard for meditation, study and praise as you think about our great God. I also hope that it will be of comfort to you when you come upon hard times and need encouragement.

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man,

Deuteronomy 6:4 The LORD our God is one LORD:

Deuteronomy 6:15 (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you)

Deuteronomy 10:17 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms:

2 Samuel 22:33 God is my strength and power

2 Chronicles 30:9 ...God is gracious and merciful,

Job 33:12...God is greater than man.

Job 36:5 God is mighty, ... he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

Job 36:26 God is great,

Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalm 47:7 God is the King of all the earth:

Psalm 48:14 For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.

Psalm 54:4 God is mine helper:

Psalm 59:9 God is my defence.

Psalm 68:20 God is the God of salvation;

Psalm 73:1 God is good ...to such as are of a clean heart.

Psalm 75:7 God is the judge:

Psalm 84:11 God is a sun and shield:

Psalm 94:22 God is the rock of my refuge.

Psalm 99:9 God is holy.

Isaiah 12:2 God is my salvation;

Daniel 9:14 God is righteous in all his works

John 3:33 God is true.

John 4:24 God is a Spirit:

Acts 10: God is no respecter of persons:

Romans 1:9 God is my witness,

2 Corinthians 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound toward you

1Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful,

1Corinthians 1:25 the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

1Corinthians 14:33 God is not the author of confusion, but of peace,

2 Corinthians 1:18 God is true,

Galations 6:7 God is not mocked:

Hebrews 6:10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love,

Hebrews 12:29 God is a consuming fire.

1John 1:5 God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

1John 3:20 God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

1John 4:8 God is love.

John 6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life:

John 8:12 ¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:

John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd:

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life:

John14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

John 15:1 ¶ I am the true vine,

Revelation 1:17 Fear not; I am the first and the last: (compare with Isaiah 44:6, Isa 48:12 I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Revelation 22:16 I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

Luke 24:34 The Lord is risen

2 Corinthians 3:17 the Lord is that Spirit:

Philippians 4:5 The Lord is at hand.

1Thess. 4:6 the Lord is the avenger

2Thess. 3:3 the Lord is faithful,

Hebrews 13:6 The Lord is my helper,

James 5:11 the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

1Peter 2:3 the Lord is gracious.

1Peter 3:12 the Lord is against them that do evil.

2Peter 3:9 ¶ The Lord is not slack concerning his promise,

Exodus 15:2 The LORD is my strength and song, and he is become my salvation: he is my God,

Exodus15:3 The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name.

Exodus 18:11 the LORD is greater than all gods:

Numbers 14:18 The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

Joshua 22:34 the LORD is God.

1Samuel 2:3 the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

2Samuel 22:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer;

Psalm 10:16 The LORD is King for ever and ever

Psalm 14:6 the LORD is his refuge.

Psalm 16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup:

Psalm 23:1 The LORD is my shepherd (compare with Joh 10:11 I am the good shepherd: )

Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; (compare with John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: )

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield;

Psalm 34:8 the LORD is good:

Psalm 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psalm 89:18 For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.

Psalm 92:15 the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Psalm 93:1 ¶ The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength,

Psalm 95:3 For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Psalm 96:4 For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods.

Psalm 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

Psalm 111:4 the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

Psalm 113:4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.

Psalm 118:6 The LORD is on my side;

Psalm 121:5 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

Psalm 125:2 the LORD is round about his people from henceforth even for ever.

Psalm 145:18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him,

Proverbs 15:29 ¶ The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 22:2 ¶ The rich and poor meet together: the LORD is the maker of them all.

Isaiah 30:18 the LORD is a God of judgment:

Isaiah 33:5 The LORD is exalted;

Isaiah 33:22 For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king;

Jeremiah 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king:

Lamentations 3:24 The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Nahum 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked:

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.

Genesis 17:1 I am the Almighty God,

Exodus 15:26 I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Leviticus 19:4 I am the LORD your God.

Ex odus 31:13 I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.

Isaiah 42:8, Isa 43:11 I am the LORD

Isaiah 44:6, Isa 48:12 I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 44:24 I am the LORD that maketh all things,

Isaiah 45:5, Isaiah 45:6, Isaiah 45:18 I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me

Isaiah 48:17 I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.

Jeremiah 9:24 I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness,

Jeremiah 32:27 I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Ezekiel 7:9 I am the LORD that smiteth.

Mal. 3:6 I am the LORD, I change not;

Marsha

Exceeding Great and Precious Promises

2 Peter 1:2-4 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

God seems to be emphasizing to me these days the importance of resting in His promises. As I have been reading through the Psalms, I see over and over how the Psalmist, when everything is against him and he has every reason to doubt God, comes back again and again to stand on God's promises.

I've been reading various articles on persevering through trying times. Again, the writers of these articles keep coming back to the importance of meditating and resting in the promises of God.

God's promises lie at the very core of who He is. They reveal His character to us. He is faithful. David Wilkerson has said, "All hope is born out of God's promises."

What are these promises? There are many in the Bible, but I will start you out with just few.

Heb 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Ps 9:9-10 The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, LORD, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.

Ps 37:23-24 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

Ps 37:28 For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.

2 Corinthians 4:7 -9 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

Ps 89:33-34 Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.

Heb 6:17 -19 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

I would suggest that you get a blank journal and as you read your Bible, start writing down the promises of God in your journal. Then when difficult times come that might cause you to doubt God's faithfulness, pull out your journal and use it to remind you of God's promises. I guarantee that it will be a great encouragement for you.

Dear Father, You are faithful and You will keep your promises. Help us to hold on to this sure hope since it is our anchor in the storms of life. Amen.

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Keys for Persevering through Tough Times

Having a tough time? Need some help persevering? Here are some lessons I learned from the Psalmist. I believe these are the keys to what helped him persevere.

Psalm 77:4 You hold my eyelids open; I am so troubled that I cannot speak.
5 I have considered the days of old, The years of ancient times.
6 I call to remembrance my song in the night; I meditate within my heart, And my spirit makes diligent search.

Remember your song in the night: Play or sing music that uplifts your soul. Meditate on the words of it.

7 Will the Lord cast off forever? And will He be favorable no more?
8 Has His mercy ceased forever? Has His promise failed forevermore?
9 Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies? Selah

Search out God's faithfulness.

10 And I said, "This is my anguish; But I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High."
11 ¶ I will remember the works of the LORD; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old.
12 I will also meditate on all Your work, And talk of Your deeds.

Take ownership of your feelings and know that they are not a true representation of God's character.

Remember what God has done and His faithfulness in the past.

13 Your way, O God, is in the sanctuary; Who is so great a God as our God?
14 You are the God who does wonders; You have declared Your strength among the peoples.
15 You have with Your arm redeemed Your people, The sons of Jacob and Joseph. Selah

Turn your heart toward praise to Him for His power and redemption.

Once again, we see that praise and thanksgiving to God is the antidote to a heavy heart and troubled times. It is a sacrifice to God because it is difficult to offer praise and thanksgiving when you are troubled. God is pleased with these sacrifices.

Here they are in review:

• 
  Remember your song in the night: Play or sing music that uplifts your soul. Meditate on the words of it.
• 
  Search out God's faithfulness.
• 
  Take responsibility for your feelings and know that they are not a true representation of God's character.
• 
  Remember what God has done and His faithfulness in the past.
• 
  Turn your heart toward praise to Him for His power and redemption.

Dear Father, It's so easy to wallow in self-pity and depression. Help me to lift my praise to You and see how it changes my perspective and helps me to persevere! Amen.

I Will Be With You In Troulbe

Ps 91:14-16 "Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation."
"He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him." God will be with us in our trouble. He doesn't say that He will take us out of our trouble or help us avoid trouble, but he will be with us in it. I think of Daniel when he was thrown to the lions. God didn't keep the trouble from him, but He was with him in it. He was also with Daniel and his three friends when they were thrown into the fiery furnace. All through the Psalms we see where the Psalmist was in trouble, but God was with him there. Even at times he felt like God had left him just like we do sometimes, but then he realized that God was there with him all the time.
I often wonder why God chooses to let us go through troubles and trials when He could keep them from us. There are many scriptures that answer this question, but my favorite one is Romans 8-28-29.
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."
The troubles God allows us to go through are designed by Him to work for our good spiritually. It is how He conforms us to the image of His Son and grows us up spiritually to be more like Him in our thoughts and actions.
Are you going through some tough times? Hang on to God's promise that He will be with you. Romans 8:35-39 should be a great comfort to you.
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NKJV)
Dear Father, Thankyou for the promises You have given in Your Word to be with me in trouble. Help me to hang on to Your promises and stand firm when trouble comes my way. Amen.
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