“HE WILL!”

 

Isaiah 40:10-11                 (ESV)

    “[10] Behold, the LORD GOD comes with MIGHT,

        and HIS arm rules for HIM;

    behold, HIS reward is with HIM,

        and HIS recompense before HIM. 

    [11] “HE WILL” tend HIS flock like a SHEPHERD;

        “HE WILL” gather the lambs in HIS arms;

    “HE WILL” carry them in HIS bosom,

        and GENTLY LEAD those that are with young.”

I am aware that this is third day I have shared these verses, but GOD IS STILL SPEAKING TO ME, and I am unable to move away from HIM!!!  As I have previously written, “The LORD GOD comes with MIGHT” is a POWERFUL statement that should cause humanity to be tremble at HIS POWER!!!  Or should WE be consoled???

The WORDS of the next verse however begins with “HE WILL”!!!  Those WORDS are NOT a “hope so”, or a “might be”, or anything indefinite that humans try to interject!  GOD is saying “HE WILL” to assure we whose FAITH is STILL being grown that HE IS IN CONTROL, whether we understand EVERYTHING about HIM, or not!!!

One of the greatest examples of FAITH that I have been made aware of was when I was in the seventeen day coma in 2007.  My wife was telling people that “he is going to be okay”!!  They would think that she was being overly optimistic?  One of my nurses later told me that IT APPEARED that she was showing signs of Brain Damage, and I was the one who was being treated!!!  But ultimately my health was restored, and even my doctor wrote that it was “a miracle from GOD” after I was released from the hospital!!!  My wife’s FAITH was EVIDENT, even when mine probably wouldn’t have been!!!

When GOD says “HE WILL”, we need to REST ASSURED that HE does precisely what HE SAID HE WOULD DO!!!  I tend to be more pessimistic than others when GOD has said “HE WILL”!  But my wife REFUSED to have “weak FAITH” and she BELIEVED that “HE WILL” meant that “HE WILL”!!!

I PRAY that my FAITH will become everything HE causes it to be!!!

“GENTLE SHEPHERD!”

 

Isaiah 40:10-11                 (ESV)

    “[10] Behold, the LORD GOD comes with MIGHT,

        and HIS arm rules for HIM;

    behold, HIS reward is with HIM,

        and HIS recompense before HIM. 

    [11] HE will tend HIS flock like a “SHEPHERD”;

        HE will gather the lambs in HIS arms;

    HE will carry them in HIS bosom,

        and “GENTLY” LEAD those that are with young.”

https://youtu.be/jPBydcYD_lM?si=Qnn_PbodH3ffJbm-

No sooner had I posted the previous devotional recently did my thoughts turn to another song entitled “GENTLE SHEPHERD”, sung by The Gaither Vocal Band above.  

Isaiah 40:10 begins with saying that “the LORD GOD comes with MIGHT, and HIS arm rules for HIM; behold, HIS reward is with HIM, and HIS recompense before HIM”.  When we TAKE THE TIME to consider that JESUS SPOKE THE UNIVERSES into existence during CREATION, AND THEN molded man out of dust, HOW can we think that HE IS MIGHTY??  HE IS THE definition of MIGHTY!!

BUT HE IS also akin to a “GENTLE SHEPHERD”, guiding HIS illiterate FOLLOWERS along the path HE has assigned each of us!  WHY would HE, THE CREATOR of EVERYTHING, be so concerned with me that HE paid an UNIMAGINABLE price for me to spend eternity with HIM in HEAVEN??  I AM CHOSEN is the only answer to that question!!  I certainly don’t deserve it, BUT I AM CHOSEN!!!

The “GENTLE SHEPHERD” that is sung about in the video above is THE SAME CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES!!!  HE loved me SO MUCH that HE PAID THE PRICE FOR MY SALVATION!  And HE will be LEADING me until HE LEADS me home!!!

“GENTLY LEAD!”

 

Isaiah 40:10-11                 (ESV)

    “[10] Behold, the LORD GOD comes with MIGHT,

        and HIS arm rules for HIM;

    behold, HIS reward is with HIM,

        and HIS recompense before HIM. 

    [11] HE will tend HIS flock like a shepherd;

        HE will gather the lambs in HIS arms;

    HE will carry them in HIS bosom,

        and “GENTLY LEAD” those that are with young.”

https://youtu.be/N6ser9IET_k?si=bB4Q_yAZ3TluLOrz

This morning I woke up with the song above playing in my brain damaged mind!  I’m no music expert, but Elvis Presley was one of the most popular artists, certainly of my lifetime.  

With all of the hype and notoriety surrounding the legacy of Elvis, is it possible to wrap your mind around THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES being tasked with “GENTLY LEADING” us through the distractions and challenges of “this world”?  

Understanding that BELIEVERS have such a powerful HOST ABIDING inside of us isn’t something that I can wrap my faulty brain around.  Reading the Scriptures above lets me know that JESUS was willing to “GENTLY LEAD” those who THE FATHER has given HIM (John 6:37-47)!!  HE could have NOT GIVEN US A CHOICE, but HE was willing to physically LIVE for over 33 years, then suffer and die on Calvary for THOSE that were CHOSEN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4)!!

It is blatantly clear that MY ONLY HOPE is to apply HIS GRACE to my wretched existence!  My prayer is that HE will “GENTLY LEAD” me through my remaining time in “this world”, and then I will be CALLED HOME to reside with HIM in HEAVEN, FOREVER AND FOREVER!!!

“HE WILL TEACH YOU!”

 

John 14:26                 (ESV)

“[26] But the HELPER, the HOLY SPIRIT, WHOM the FATHER will send in MY name, “HE WILL TEACH YOU” and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”

Mortal humans DO NOT have the capability to do anything we desire, otherwise we would live longer than the 120 years or so before we die!  BUT GOD has given us the possibility to LIVE FOREVER, as long as we TRUST in HIM!!

Sometimes I can’t remember ANYTHING, especially since the “massive brain hemorrhage” I experienced on July 09, 2007!  The frailty of the human body is greatly misunderstood, for the most part?  We THINK and ACT that we are going to “be here” forever, but of the humans who have been created there are exactly -0-that are still here!  Hebrews 9:27-28 explains this rather plainly!!

The HOLY SPIRIT, also known as the HELPER, has been sent live inside of we who are BORN AGAIN to perform whatever HE desires from our bodies!  GODS PERFECT PLAN uses a portion of THE GODHEAD to inhabit the bodies of BELIEVERS in our assignments.  We WILL accomplish HIS PLAN, regardless of our selfish desires or wishes!  

How can we be “for sure” that we are fulfilling our “assignment”???  “HE WILL TEACH YOU” is something that GOD CAN AND WILL accomplish in our lives, regardless of our own desires.  HE used a seventeen day coma to OPEN my EYES in 2007!  I earnestly pray that I am MORE READY to SEEK and LISTEN to what “HE WILL TEACH YOU” in my latter years!!!

“HE CHANGED HIS MIND!”

 Matthew 27:1-10                 (ESV)

JESUS Delivered to Pilate

“[1] When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. [2] And they bound HIM and led HIM away and delivered HIM over to Pilate the governor.

Judas Hangs Himself

[3] Then when Judas, HIS betrayer, saw that JESUS was condemned, “HE CHANGED HIS MIND” and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, [4] saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? SEE TO IT YOURSELF.” [5] And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and HE WENT AND HANGED HIMSELF. [6] But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, “It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money.” [7] So they took counsel and bought with them the potter’s field as a burial place for strangers. [8] Therefore that field has been called the FIELD OF BLOOD to this day. [9] Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, [10] and they gave them for the potter’s field, as the LORD directed me.””

In my younger years, when my EYES had yet to be OPENED, Pilate was “always” the bad guy because he was “in charge” during the crucifixion of my LORD!  

JESUS could have called 12 legions of Angels to “bail HIM out” of this supposed trial.  In biblical terms, a legion typically consists of about 6,000 soldiers. Therefore, 12 legions equate to approximately 72,000 angels. Only “one Angel” annihilated 185,000 Assyrians in 2 Kings 19:35, so “12 Legions of Angels”could kill more than the world population at the time of THE CRUCIFIXION!

THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES SPOKE the ENTIRE WORLD into existence FROM NOTHING in just seven days, so HE could have easily halted HIS BRUTAL DEATH!!  HE CHOSE to purchase my salvation, because I had NO HOPE without HIS SACRIFICE!  Judas had to have experienced a weak moment to deny JESUS for 30 pieces of silver, didn’t he??  But the fact is that he DID deny JESUS when he needed to, because it was THE PLAN OF GOD!!!

The mere fact that Judas had been WITH JESUS for three years was NOT enough save him from selling out to “the chief priests and the elders” for 30 pieces of silver.  The fact that “HE CHANGED HIS MIND” was TOO LATE to change his fate!!  ONLY JESUS CAN CHANGE A HEART!!  “HE CHANGED HIS MIND” did not save Judas’ soul!  JESUS STILL DIED BECAUSE OF MY SINS!  But HE overcame death and I AM SO GLAD HE DID!!!

“LET HIM DENY HIMSELF!”

 

Matthew 16:24-26                 (ESV)

Take Up Your Cross and Follow JESUS 

“[24] Then JESUS told HIS disciples, “If anyone would come after ME, “LET HIM DENY HIMSELF” and TAKE UP HIS CROSS and follow ME. [25] For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for MY sake will find it. [26] For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”

These three verses of Scripture have TREMENDOUS meaning, in a myriad of different ways!  

To begin with, THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES tells HIS Disciples that “If anyone would come after ME “?  Then after the message for today, HE commands them to “TAKE UP HIS CROSS” and follow me!  But the Disciples had NO IDEA the price that HIS WORDS would cost them!

For us to understand what “LET HIM DENY HIMSELF” sounds pretty drastic knowing what we NOW know.  JESUS was destined to SUFFER “cruel and unusual punishment”, unlike anything mankind has ever known. Yet HE was instructing HIS Disciples to be willing to give up their lives, just as HE was about to do for mankind!  

The LORD has not given this brain damaged man the mental capacity to comprehend anything that GOD has prepared for us……yet!  But please know that THE SAME GOD WHO CREATED THE UNIVERSE is preparing UNFATHOMABLE surroundings for we who have served HIM on earth!  

Understanding that my time in “this world” has to be drawing to an end, I am COMMITTED to fulfilling THE PLAN that HE has for my life!  I’m not smart enough to know precisely what HIS PLAN is right now, but my desire is to “LET HIM DENY HIMSELF” and to be used by JESUS while I am still here!!!

“I WILL!”

 

Ezekiel 36:25-32                 (ESV)

“[25] “I WILL” sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols “I WILL” cleanse you. [26] And “I WILL” give you a NEW HEART, and a NEW SPIRIT “I WILL” put within you. And “I WILL” remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. [27] And “I WILL” put MY SPIRIT within you, and cause you to walk in MY statutes and be careful to obey MY rules. [28] You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be MY people, and “I WILL” be your GOD. [29] And “I WILL” deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And “I WILL” summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. [30] “I WILL” make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. [31] Then YOU WILL REMEMBER your evil ways, and YOUR DEEDS THAT WERE NOT GOOD, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. [32] IT IS NOT FOR YOUR SAKE THAT “I WILL” ACT, declares the LORD GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.”

THE CHOSEN are NOT “more righteous” than others, nor are we “more worthy”!  But we are CHOSEN RACE it pleased GOD to do so (John 15:16)!  

The verses of Scripture listed above illustrate numerous times that GOD says “I WILL”, meaning that HE is the ONE that with the onus of keeping us!  We (mainly “I”) do not possess the power, nor ability, to FOLLOW HIM!  HE ALONE has the ABILITY to instill within us a NEW HEART and a NEW SPIRIT, transforming our lives into a NEW BEING!

Simply because we have been CHOSEN by HIM, BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4), gives us the FREEDOM to serve HIM!  Serving HIM will carry a huge burden, but HE HAS PROMISED that “I WILL” keep you, and that is ENOUGH for me!!!