Isaiah 66:1-2 -- God and satan

This passage reminds me of the God and satan dual...God challenges satan to make a man and satan is says he's up to it.  After all, we can now clone sheep and make robots so why not go for a real human.  Then, just as the contest was about to begin God says; "Wait! Satan, you have to use your own soil!!!"  :-) ....It's an Alpha joke! :-)

http://www.alphacanada.org/

The same is true with statistics...when you don't get the results you want you do the survey again! :-)...The best part about my "Uses and abuses of statistics course" was I got a recommendation for my job from it!

Yes, there are some very creative ways to teach these days.  Thanks angels, atheists, agnostics, witches, AA members and most of all God, who made each of us for all these lessons.  May God continue to work in and through each one of you who believes in Him and may each of you who wants to spend time with Jesus celebrate with me one day in heaven.

Sherrill

An aside---

I was running the Alpha course at a women's prison and I found it unbelievable that they were giving them the King James version of the bible to read.  I've got a math brain so I used Coles notes for Shakespeare so I thought it was of little use to give King James bibles to most of the prison population.  Even, I, with 2 University degrees don't like reading King James!

One of the women I met at the prison had the delight of leading a friend to the Lord so she decided to mentor her friend by reading through the bible.  She came up to me and told me they read the New Testament with the King James but is was really too hard to read the Old Testament this way so they found the Message and this was helpful...but then this smart lady looked and discovered the Message was a paraphrase and thus not completely accurate.  This made me excited when I saw another bible was published called the Key to Freedom bible but today I've discovered that this too, has misleading information in it.  In Isaiah 66:3 it starts off as an accusation "You sacrifice...." but in the NIV it says "But whoever..."

This goes to show us that lawyers with their details have a place; theologians with their research have their place; and the average nobody with their experiences have their place.

I'm Sherrill, a nobody in this world, yet a child of God in His Kingdom...and this is all the really matters.

Isaiah 65:20-25 -- God's holy mountain

Will have:

• no child died in infancy
• everyone will live to well over 100
• people will live in houses they build
• they will enjoy grapes from their own vineyard
• no one will take away their homes and vineyards
• they will enjoy what they earn
• their work won't be wasted
• their children won't die of dreaded diseases
• God will bless their children and grandchildren
• God will answer their prayers before they finish praying
• Wolves and lambs will graze together
• Lions and oxen will feed on straw
• Snakes will only eat dirt
• Snakes won't bite or harm anyone on God's holy mountain

For God has spoken.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymrZO1PZbU4

Isaiah 65:17-19 -- Creation of new things

If God is a creator God He's probably still creating; leaving us with new things to discover.  To date, I'm pleased that God has answered our prayers "God keep our land, glorious and free" all of these years and given us a peaceful nation and a good economy but I'm concerned that God is being taken for granted and people really believe that they can keep this land glorious and free without Him.

God today though, is telling me He's creating a new thing.  He's creating a world where He's calling His people to walk the walk in His Kingdom 7/24.  So what does this mean in terms of personal ethics and business ethics etc.  For me I have to go back to Jesus teachings

"Authentically love the Lord your God with all of your heart soul and mind and authentically love your neighbour as much as you authentically love yourself"...and we will experience a happy people.

Isaiah 65:13-16 -- Seek first His Kingdom

This passage reminds me of Matthew 6:33.  A verse that comes out of Jesus teaching known as the "Sermon on the Mount".  So often I've recognized that His ways are not my ways.  For instance, what sense do the beatitudes really make.  Yet, the peace in walking this type of walk is amazing!

The Beatitudes

He said:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Father, would you help the faithful to be salt and light in Your world.

Thanks

Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Isaiah 65:11-12 -- Lord, help us to listen

Father, help me to listen to You.  Please help me understand what You want and please show me how to represent You well today.  Don't let me follow my own ways and attribute things to luck or fate.  Father, please help me to do what You want me to do.  Lord, I know there are choices to be made on Sunday.  I really want to do everything that's been offered to me on Sunday yet I also need my rest.  Help me to make wise choices.  Father, would you also help us to be successful with our project at work too.

Thanks

Isaiah 65:8-10 -- God will keep the good fruit

Because of the faithful servants of God I have chosen  the group and I will bless them with many descendants.  They will have land where their cattle and sheep will feed and rest and they will worship God.

Father, would You bless those who have remained faithful to You.  Deepen our faith and trust in You.  Father, would You help me to live a life where others see me and glorify You.  Thanks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk2LWZ9PHPY