“MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND!”

 

Isaiah 41:8-10                 (ESV)

    “[8] But you, Israel, MY servant,

      Jacob, whom I HAVE CHOSEN,

        the offspring of Abraham, MY friend; 

    [9] you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

        and called from its farthest corners,

    saying to you, “You are MY servant,

        I HAVE CHOSEN YOU and NOT cast you off”; 

    [10] fear not, for I am with you;

        be not dismayed, FOR I AM YOUR GOD;

    I will strengthen you, I will help you,

        I will uphold you with “MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND!”  

While “scrolling” on social media recently I listened to the song “GOD WALKS THE DARK HILLS”.  It speaks about how GOD WALKING THROUGH the trials of our lives, but it never mentions how HIS Children walk along beside HIM, other than HIM LEADING US as a guide!!

Then my brain damaged mind went back to the FOOTPRINTS IN THE SAND poster that one of my sisters had hanging on their wall while we were growing up.  It sends with “The LORD replied, "MY son, MY precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I Carried You."

While I was in the seventeen day coma in 2007, I was TOTALLY “out-of-control”!!  Even my breathing was controlled by a machine!  My condition was bleak, putting it mildly!  

Since my recovery (almost NINETEEN YEARS AGO!!), my condition for the most part has been what I would describe as a  Biblical “sheep”, almost having to be LED by the MASTER!  But ALMIGHTY GOD tells me in Isaiah 41:10 “I will uphold you with “MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND!””  There is NOTHING more comforting than to have “MY RIGHTEOUS RIGHT HAND” leading you when you know that you are afflicted!!!

“GOD CHOSE!”

 

1 Corinthians 1:18-31                 (ESV)

CHRIST the WISDOM and POWER of GOD

“[18] For the WORD of the cross is FOLLY to those who are perishing, but TO US WHO ARE BEING SAVED it is the POWER of GOD. [19] For it is written, 

    “I will DESTROY the wisdom of the wise,

        and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

    [20] Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? HAS NOT GOD MADE FOOLISH the wisdom of the world? [21] For since, IN THE WISDOM OF GOD, the world DID NOT KNOW GOD THROUGH WISDOM, it pleased GOD through THE FOLLY OF WHAT WE PREACH to save those who believe. [22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23] but WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24] but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, CHRIST the POWER of GOD and the wisdom of GOD. [25] For the FOOLISHNESS of GOD IS WISER THAN MEN, and the WEAKNESS of GOD IS STRONGER THAN MENi.

[26] For consider your CALLING, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27] But “GOD CHOSE” what is FOOLISH IN THE WORLD to shame the wise; “GOD CHOSE” what is WEAK in the world to shame the strong; [28] “GOD CHOSE” what is LOW and DESPISED in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29] so that NO HUMAN being might boast in the presence of GOD. [30] And because of HIM you are in CHRIST JESUS, WHO became to us WISDOM from GOD, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, [31] so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, BOAST IN THE LORD.”

John 1:3                 (ESV)

“[3] ALL THINGS were made through HIM, and without HIM was not any thing made that was made. “

John 14:6                 (ESV)

“[6] JESUS said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. NO ONE comes to the FATHER except through ME.”

James 5:16                 (ESV)

“[16] Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

KJV states that “the effectual, FERVENT (Having or showing great emotion or zeal; ARDENT) prayer of a righteous man avaleth much”!  

Being CALLED by OUR CREATOR is not something that we should “boast” about!!  “GOD CHOSE” is the only thing that matters to we to whom “GOD CHOSE”, but ONE DAY ALL EYES WILL BE OPENED!!!

“HE WHO RAISED CHRIST JESUS FROM THE DEAD!”

 

Romans 8:11                 (ESV)

“If the SPIRIT of HIM WHO raised JESUS from the dead dwells in you, “HE WHO RAISED CHRIST JESUS FROM THE DEAD” will also GIVE LIFE TO YOUR MORTAL BODIES through HIS SPIRIT WHO dwells in you.”

John 10:30                 (ESV)

“I and the FATHER are ONE.”  (JESUS)

It is extremely familiar for me to refer to JESUS when remembering the “miraculous” healing that was delivered to me in July of 2007. My medical records quote my doctor as saying “However, he has had a remarkable recovery that could ONLY be defined as a MIRACLE from GOD”!  

Is JESUS the ONLY REASON that I survived the Brain Hemorrhage in July of 2007???  In this humble servant’s brain damaged opinion, the ONLY viable explanation is precisely how my doctor remembered in September of the same year.  

WHO else could have placed me in a drug induced coma for seventeen days, kept me off work for a few days short of two years, then given me back the insurance agency that I had sold eleven months prior…..PLUS another agency!!!  HE then orchestrated the ownership for just over fifteen years when I retired from selling insurance!

Why did I NOT HAVE “deficits” that would have precluded me from performing as an insurance agent?  Why did I NOT wind up as a paraplegic vegetable?  Why did I NOT die and be ushered into HIS PRESENCE for eternity?  The ONLY reason I could offer is because HE WASN’T through with me yet!!!

HE HAS A PLAN, and I am HIS TOOL to continue that PLAN!  “HE WHO RAISED CHRIST JESUS FROM THE DEAD” has TOTAL CONTROL and HE is capable of DOING WHATEVER HE desires with my life!!!

“THE STAFF OF AARON!”

 

Numbers 17:6-7                  (ESV)

“[6] Moses spoke to the people of Israel. And all their chiefs gave him staffs, one for each chief, according to their fathers’ houses, twelve staffs. And “THE STAFF OF AARON” WAS AMONG THEIR STAFFS. [7] And Moses deposited the staffs before the LORD in the TENT OF THE TESTIMONY.”

Numbers 17:10                 (ESV)

“[10] And the LORD said to Moses, “PUT BACK “THE STAFF OF AARON” before the testimony, TO BE KEPT AS A SIGN FOR THE REBELS, THAT YOU MAY MAKE AN END OF THEIR GRUMBLING S AGAINST ME, LEST THEY DIE.”

The next two paragraphs are taken directly from a commentary regarding “THE STAFF OF AARON”:::

“THE STAFF (OF AARON) is placed in the ARK OF THE COVENANT, serving as a perpetual reminder of GOD’S AUTHORITY and the legitimacy of the Levitical priesthood.  

Aaron's staff is rich in symbolism, REPRESENTING GOD’S POWER, AUTHORITY, and THE LEGITIMACY OF THE PRIESTHOOD. It serves as a TANGIBLE REMINDER of GOD’S  intervention in the history of Israel and HIS ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LEVITICAL PRIESTHOOD. The staff's TRANSFORMATION into a serpent, its role in the plagues, and its miraculous budding all underscore the divine endorsement of Aaron's leadership and the special status of the tribe of Levi. Throughout biblical history, Aaron's staff remains a POWERFUL EMBLEM of GOD’S PRESENCE and HIS covenant with Israel.”

ALMIGHTY GOD PERFORMS (sometimes what we call MIRACULOUSLY!) things to REVEAL HIMSELF to HIS PEOPLE!  We readily SEE that Moses was not worthy of being a “leader” of the nation of Israel (Exodus 2:11-13)!  Aaron was also “flawed”!  Although Moses “stuttered”, he had the education and attention to detail to write the first five books of the BIBLE (Torah) for humanity to explore about THE CREATOR!  

GOD is GRACIOUS enough to PROVIDE HIS GUIDANCE throughout HIStory!  In this timeframe, GOD used “THE STAFF OF AARON” as a “go-between” for HIMSELF and HIS sheep.  HE came to earth in the FORM of JESUS as the ULTIMATE REVELATION OF HIMSELF slightly more than 2,000 years ago!  

We NEED to SEE that JESUS was in “THE STAFF OF AARON”, just as HE is in Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21!  JESUS tells Nicodemus in John 3:16 “FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, that HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON, that whoever BELIEVES IN HIM should NOT PERISH but have eternal life.”  Whether JESUS was recognized IN THE FLESH while HE was on earth, or in “THE STAFF OF AARON” so many years ago, HE deserves to be recognized as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!!!

“FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU!”

 

Jeremiah 29:11                 (ESV)

“”FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU”, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope.”

My plans and THE PLANS GOD HAS FOR ME have definitely NOT BEEN the same over my life!  Many times I have had to “revisit” my plans, for my choices in life were NOT fitting into where I was being led!  

When GOD spoke to Jeremiah “FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU”, HE wasn’t saying anything that should surprise nor shock any of us.  GOD is OMNISCIENT, OMNIPRESENT, and OMNIPOTENT!  HE KNOWS ALL AND IS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING!  John 16:33 says “I have SAID these things to you, that IN ME YOU MAY HAVE PEACE. In “the world” you WILL have tribulation. But take heart; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD!”

GOD HAS A PLAN!  We “can” KNOW THE PLAN, but seldom do we know precisely WHEN HIS PLAN will be fulfilled!  Romans 11:33 says “BY FAITH we understand that the universe was created by THE WORD OF GOD, so that WHAT IS SEEN was NOT MADE out of THINGS THAT ARE VISIBLE.

”FOR I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU” might sound a bit outlandish to some people, but GOD KNOWS, SEES, AND is in CONTROL of everything!!!  HE NOT ONLY KNOWS, BUT HE CONTROLS IT ALL!!!

“I HAVE REDEEMED YOU!”

 Isaiah 44:21-22

 The LORD Redeems Israel

    “[21] Remember these things, O Jacob,

        and Israel, for you are MY servant;

    I formed you; you are MY servant;

        O Israel, you will not be forgotten by ME. 

    [22] I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud

        and your sins like mist;

    return to ME, for “I HAVE REDEEMED YOU”.”

The ONE THING that sets us apart from everyone and everything else is that THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES has CHOSEN us to be HIS SERVANTS!  “I HAVE REDEEMED YOU”, transforming you from worthless humanity into NEW CREATIONS that HE PURCHASED before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4)!!!

“THEY KNOW NOT!”

 

Luke 23:32-35                 (ESV)

“[32] Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. [33] And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified HIM, and the criminals, one on HIS right and one on HIS left. [34] And JESUS said, “FATHER, forgive them, for “THEY KNOW NOT” what they do.” And they cast lots to divide HIS garments. [35] And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at HIM, saying, “HE saved others; let HIM save HIMSELF, if HE is the CHRIST of GOD, HIS CHOSEN ONE!”

It is quite often that this humble servant will “classify” the actions of someone who performs UNHOLY works as a person whose EYES are NOT OPENED, basically they couldn’t SEE the magnitude of the evil that they were currently doing.  “The people” who were responsible for JESUS CHRIST having to experience the brutality of the cross after the experience of living in “this humanity” was PRECISELY the reason why HE came to earth to begin with.  

“These people” stood by, watching, but they rulers scoffed at HIM, scoffed at the SALVATION HE provided for their wretched souls!  GOD IN FLESH sacrificed HIMSELF on Calvary’s Cross for the very people who were criticizing HIM while HE PAID their SIN DEBT!

But the TRUTH is, HIS DEATH was precisely so BRUTAL because of “my sins” that HE WAS covering that horrific day.  My “sin debt” was PAID IN FULL by the SPOTLESS SON OF GOD !  

The writing of this devotional was partially completed on the Sunday evening the Super Bowl was being played….while NOT WATCHING one second of the game!!  The fact that “this game” so captivates humanity is just part of the deception that “the enemy” uses in the battle for the souls that are blinded by his lies!  This year I didn’t watch any of the game, but in previous years I have watched!  

It is remarkable that GOD continues to WORK ON ME to MOLD me into a vessel that HE is able to USE for HIS GLORY!  Just as I was once apart of the “THEY KNOW NOT” crowd, maybe I can be USED to direct others toward HIS LIGHT and away from the darkness of “this world”!!!