Isaiah 54:14 -- You will be built on fairness

Father, it's hard to understand my relationship with You let alone Your relation with the rest of the world.  There are times when I wonder why You put up with people and the cruelty they impose on each other.  Yet You do...even at the expense of Your Son!

Lord, there are 2 good Father's that I know who have lost their teenage sons here in Canada, and this isn't even a violent world!  Lord, please give these Father's peace and please help us to stop the violence.  Father, please help our teenagers to not walk into the dangerous world of drugs and thank you for all the teachers, support staff and police officers who work hard to stop this.  Lord, I just pray for our school systems here in Ontario.  Lord please give immense wisdom to the teachers and leaders because we need a world that contains authentic love!

"As He died to make men holy let us live to make men (and women) free...His truth is marching on"

Isaiah 54:11-13 -- I will rebuild says the Lord

There are some people in our lives right now who are sad and discouraged, tossed around in a storm yet the Lord says I will rebuild with precious stones.  For the foundation I will use blue sapphires.

As I read this I hear God's calling to holiness (because the blue in the Salvation Army flag represents the Father's holiness).   We need that foundation of holiness...of blue sapphires.  Yet the holiness God is after is not a holier than though attitude.  No, He wants each one of us to be whole.  He wants to give each one of us an abundant life with a solid foundation.  Father, as You rebuild would You prepare each of our lives with Your rock solid foundation of a whole life.

Lord, of all the gems I think I like rubies the best because they're red.  Yet red reminds me of the red in the Salvation flag that represents the blood of Jesus.  Can our fort walls be represented by the blood of Jesus? 

For me, the gems in this world aren't rocks...they're people.  Father, as You teach our children and make them successful in this world will You help them to be the gems in our fort?

Lord, please bless all the gems in our world as we celebrate the Body of Christ; the church; today.

Isaiah 54:9-10 -- The gospel of peace

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4ebkqtKPPE

As I listen to this music I'm reminded of Israel.  Father, thank you for sending Jesus to this world. 

Isaiah 54:6-8 -- The Lord our Protector

As a capable independent woman I still believe there is a place for a man in my life because two are better than one.  You get a second perspective and a second set of eyes from someone who wants the very best for you (of course since I'm single this is my dream world! :-)).  It's my dream world because I don't want to be the young wife, broken hearted and crying because her husband has divorced her.  I don't want to be rejected.  I want to be the woman who is taken back and loved with tenderness, and embraced again.  I don't want to be the woman who's husband is angry at me.  I want to be the woman who is loved forever by someone who wants to be my protector.

As I imagine what this would be like with a husband I am realizing what God's love for me is like.

Father, teach me how to love You.  Teach me how to pray.  Lord, teach me how to serve You better day by day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xb2m9fqmgq0

Isaiah 54:4-5 -- Don't be ashamed or discouraged

As I read these verses today I'm thankful that being a widow today in Canada is not something to be ashamed of.  I was also thankful last week as I played around in a wheelchair that being in a wheelchair is no longer something to be ashamed of.  Satan is the father of lives and we may hear it; you're not beautiful enough, you're not thin enough, you don't laugh enough, you don't take life serious enough, you're not smart enough you're.......whatever the negative lie is, God is saying:

Don't be afraid, ashamed or discouraged.  Forget about the sins of your past.  God, is God and He rules.  He is our creator and he will rescue us.

Isaiah 54:1-3 -- More children

Lord, what a promise!  Jesus said "suffer little children to come unto me".  Father, in this world that we live in today I'm praying for Your children.  Lord, would you bless the Ready to Serve program.  Would you help our children to grow up with a deep and active faith in You.  Father, would you bring those teenagers to our prayer meetings so we would get excited in the family of God so see You working through all the generations.

Isaiah 53:7-12 -- The cost to Christ

Jesus, I can't believe you did this for us!  You were so focused on Your Father's business You were willing to endure abuse and suffering. Father, right now I think about Nigel Wright and the guards that got caught up with the Ashley Smith situation.  Lord, sometimes bad things happen to good people with good motives and we wonder why yet I see the very same thing happened to You.  Yet, Your very pain and suffering changed the world forever.

Father, thank you for rewarding Jesus with "honour and power for sacrificing His life"

Jesus, You are so amazing. "Others thought You were a sinner but You suffered for our sins and asked God to forgive us".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrPAZbD6fG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uZcGaixMhg