Devo Isaiah 46:3-5

"Listen to me, you descendants of Jacob, all the remnant of the people of Israel, you whom I have upheld since your birth, and have carried since you were born.  Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.  With whom will you compare me or count me equal."

This passage was taken in the context of the Israelites being in captive in the land of Babylon.  The people of Babylon worshipped false gods.  Isaiah was speaking to the Israelites to worship the God that will sustain and carry His people.  A Christian living in Toronto Canada is similar to the Israelites living in Babylon.  The idols worshipped in this land are: wealth, sex, and power.

I reflected upon my current situation.  God is telling me that He will carry and sustain me.  I am feeling uncertain about the road ahead: leading my family and challenges in ministry.  He said "with whom will you compare me or count me equal".  I am tempted to believe wealth and respect will enable me to take up the challenge.  Satan is tempting me to despair and tells me of the guilt of the desire of wealth and respect from within.  I pray for forgiveness.  I pray for deliverance.  I realized that wealth and the desire for respect is an idol I am facing.

God led me to read my favourite book of the Bible the Proverbs.  There is nothing evil about being wealthy and being respected.  The desire to become rich and respectable becomes a serious sin when I consider sacrificing my relationship with God.  I reflected on other sins I struggled with.  The root cause is the desire to be honoured and respected.

Some verses in Proverbs spoke to me: God said "Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness finds life and honour.  The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches, honor, and life.  One who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor"  As a man, I desire to be respected.  I believe this is a desire for most guys anyway.  God promised that people who respect God will naturally be respected.    

Devo Oct 9 Isaiah 31:1-3

Chapter 31
1 Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
who rely on horses,
who trust in the multitude of their chariots
and in the great strength of their horsemen,
but do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
or seek help from the LORD.
2 Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster;
he does not take back his words.
He will rise up against that wicked nation,
against those who help evildoers.
3 But the Egyptians are mere mortals and not God;
their horses are flesh and not spirit.
When the LORD stretches out his hand,
those who help will stumble,
those who are helped will fall;
all will perish together.

Personal Notes

We don’t count on horses and chariots to protect us today like in
ancient times. But there are countless things we put our trust in.
There were circumstances in my life when I have depended
on something or someone other than God. If God and God alone
provides ultimate security and comfort, why do you think we turn
to him for help only as a last resort? If we truly understood God’s
power and control – his sovereignty – how might that change how
we live?

Spend a few minutes in quiet and solitude. Use the time to seek out
the dark corners of your life. Whisper, “What do I put my trust in”?
Allow the Spirit to do his work. Don’t rush the process, but simply
wait for him to reveal the horses and chariots you depend on. When
you see them clearly, confess them to God immediately. Be assured
that he hears your prayers and forgives you graciously.

Oct 1 Devo Isaiah 25

Chapter 25
1 LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in
perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long
ago.2 You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin,
the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more; it will never be rebuilt. 3 Therefore
strong peoples will honor you; cities of ruthless nations will revere
you.4 You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their
distress,a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.For the breath
of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall 5 and like the heat of
the desert. You silence the uproar of foreigners; as heat is reduced by the
shadow of a cloud,so the song of the ruthless is stilled.6 On this mountain
the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—the best of meats and the finest of wines.
7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever.The
Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces;he will remove
his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken.9 In that
day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved
us.This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his
salvation.”10 The hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain; but Moab
will be trampled in their land as straw is trampled down in the manure.
11 They will stretch out their hands in it, as swimmers stretch out their
hands to swim.God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of
their hands.12 He will bring down your high fortified walls and lay them
low; he will bring them down to the ground, to the very dust.

Meditation
1.This simple song expresses the hope of oppressed, exploited and
downtrodden people. Here we read of Israel’s joy at the downfall of
God’s enemies, the end of death itself and God’s final victory.
2.Recall an experience you have had in driving rain, a snowstorm or
some other tough situations in which you knew that God was present
with you.

Personal Note: I had some difficult experiences in the past, and now looking back I see God was present and was with me.  I heard testimonies of God delivering them in the midst of difficulties yesterday's message from brothers and sisters going on mission trips.  God laid a burden in my heart to be sensitive to the challenges that brothers and sisters are facing today.  May God's Words bring hope to everyone.