Month: December 2023

“I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love. I will praise the Lord for all He has done. I will rejoice in His great goodness to Israel, which He has granted according to His mercy and love.

He said,’They are my very own people. Surely they will not betray me again.’ And He became their Savior. In all their suffering, He also has suffered, and He personally rescued them. In His love and mercy he redeemed them.He lifted them up and carried them through all the years. But they rebelled against Him and grieved His Holy Spirit. So He became their enemy and fought against them.

They remembered those days of old when Moses led his people our of Egypt. They cried out, ‘Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea, with Moses as their shepherd? Where is the one who sends His Holy Spirit to be among His people? Where is the one whose power was displayed when Moses lifted up his hand – the one who divided the sea before them, making himself famous forever? Where is the one who led them through the bottom of the sea? They were like fine stallions racing through the desert, never stumbling. As with cattle going down into a peaceful valley, the Spirit of the Lord gave them rest. You led your people, Lord, and gained a magnificent reputation!'” j. (vv. 7-14, NLT)

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed. He has sent me to tell those who mourn that the time of the Lord’s favor has come and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. To all who mourn for Israel, He will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for His own glory.” (vv.1-3, NLT)

“‘Arise Jerusalem! Let your light shine for all to see. For the glory of the Lord rises to shine on you. Darkness as black as the night covers all the nations of the earth, but the glory of the Lord rises and appears over you. All nations will come to your light; mighty kings will come to see your radiance.

Look, see, for everyone is coming home! Your sons are coming from distant lands; you little daughters will be carried home. Your eyes will shine, and your heart will thrill with joy, for merchants from around the world will come to you. They will bring you the wealth of many lands. Vast caravans of camels will converge on you, the camels of Midian and Ephah. The people of Sheba will bring gold and frankincense and will come worshipping the Lord. The flocks of Kedar will be given to you, and the rams of Nebaioth will be brought to My altars. I will accept their offerings, and I will make My Temple glorious!'” (vv. 1-7, NLT)

“‘No longer will you need the sun to shine by day, no the moon to give its light by night, for the Lord you God will be your everlasting light, and your su will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your days of mourning will come to an end.

All your people will be righteous. They will possess their land forever, for I will plan them there with my own ands in o order to bring Myself glory. The smallest family will become a thousand people, and the tiniest roup will become a might nation. At the right time, I, the Lord, will make it happen. ‘” (vv. 19-22, NLT)

“He will repay His enemies for their evil deeds. His fury will fall on His foes. He will pay them back even to the ends of the earth.

In the west, people will respect the name of the Lord; in the east, they will glorify Him. For He will come like a raging flood tide driven by the breath of the Lord.

‘The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned fro their sins,’ says the Lord.

‘And this is my covenant with them,’ says the Lord. ‘My Spirit wil not leave them, and neither will these words I have given you. They will be on your lips and on the lips of your children and your children’s children forever. I, the Lord, have spoken!'” (vv. 18-21, NLT)

“Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is His ear too deaf to hear your call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, He has turned away and will not listen anymore.” (v. 1-2, NLT)

“Their feet run to evil, and they rush to commit. murder. They think only of sinning. Misery and destruction always follows them. They don’t know where to find peace or what it means to be just and good. They have mapped out crooked roads, and no one who follows them knows a moment’s peace.

So there is not justice among us, and we know noting about right living. we look for light but find only darkness. We look for bright skies but walk in gloom. we grope like the bling along a wall, feeling our way like people without eyes. Even as the brightest noontime, we stumble as though it were dark.”( vv. 7-10, NLT)

“The Lord looked and was displeased to find there was not justice. He was amazed to see that no one intervened to help the oppressed. So He Himself stepped in to save them with His strong arm, and His justice sustained Him. He put on righteousness as His body armor and place the helmet of salvation on His head. He closed himself with a robe of vengeance and wrapped Himself in a cloak of divine passion. ” (vv. 15b-1 7, NLT)

“Keep the Sabbath day holy. Don’t pursue your own interests on that day, but enjoy the Sabbath and speak of it with delight as the Lord’s holy day. Honor the Sabbath in everything you do that day, and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. then the Lord will be your delight. I will give you a great honor and satisfy you with the inheritance I promised to your ancestor Jacob. I, the Lord, have spoken!” (vv. 13-14, NLT)

“This is what the Lord says,’Be just and fair to all. do what is right and good, for I am coming soon to rescue and to display My righteousness among you. Blessed are all those who are careful to do this. Blessed are those who honor my Sabbath days of rest and keep themselves from doing wrong.'” (vv. 1-2, NLT)

“‘I will also bless the foreigners who commit themselves to the Lord, who serve Him and love His name, who worship Him and do not desecrate the Sabbath day of rest, and who hold fat to My covenant. I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in My house of prayer. I will accept their burnt offerings and sacrifices, because My Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations. For the Sovereign Lord, who brings back the outcasts of Israel says; I will bring others, too besides my people Israel.’ ” (vv. 6-8, NLT)