Perfectly Imperfect Together

In Isaiah 23 & 24, we have the final oracle of judgment to the nation of Tyre which ends the national oracles. Then we see prophesy of coming worldwide judgment as well as hope once again - deliverance. In the midst of worldwide desolation, a remnant will remain strong and will sing praises to God through it all. They will stand firm in faith and give glory to God in praise. The whole earth wi...

In Isaiah 20-22, Isaiah brought forth God's messages naked and barefoot for three years because God wanted to prove a point. Isaiah, being the radical - fully transformed and sold out to God - prophet that he is, did exactly what God wanted and the point was made. The oracles of judgment are still being spoken to the surrounding nations and this time, it's Jerusalem's turn. Isaiah is h...

In Isaiah 18 & 19, the oracles of judgment are spoken regarding Ethiopia and Egypt. God is cleaning up the evil and judgment will come for how they have treated His children. He once again gracefully ties the now into the not yet. We are told a time is coming when there will be peace, unity, and worship throughout the earth. A Kingdom is coming like no other. Sin and evil will not be present....

In Isaiah 15-17, the oracles of judgment are spoken regarding Moab, Damascus, and northern Israel. God tells Moab that all their prosperity will be stripped away as well as a whole lot of hardship for a season. He again gives that glimmer of coming hope. It will not be forever. There is a Savior coming. He will rule with mercy and truth. In the judgment against Damascus and Israel, Isaiah lets the...

In Isaiah 12-14, there is a song of praise in response to a message of hope. Oracles of judgment start being spoken against the nations who strike against Israel. Isaiah once again speaks into the now and the not yet. The Babylonians may strike, but it won't last forever. God's hand will move and Babylon will be taken down. Jesus will return and there will be final victory and Satan will b...

In Isaiah 10 & 11, Isaiah continues to prophesy of coming judgment and exile for God's children as they have turned from Him and refuse to repent. Sin has to be accounted for and time has run out. In the midst of the chaos, God again brings words of hope. Even when situations look bad, there's hope. God does not forget His people. Out of the remnant who remain strong and stand firm in...

In Isaiah 9, Isaiah lets God's children know there is hope. Our Messiah will come. Jesus will bring us forgiveness, redemption, restoration, and hope for a brighter future. Isaiah continually speaks into the current time and current situation as well as forward into the 1st coming of Jesus and into His second coming. He speaks to the now, what's to come and what's still coming all at o...

In Isaiah 7 & 8, God reminds His people to trust in Him. Even though battles come, God is bigger. God is mightier. God is able. God is with us. He reminds us God cannot make us stand firm. Unless our faith is firm, we will stumble. He promises us our Messiah. Jesus comes and saves us all forever if we choose Him. He will not force our faith. We have a choice and can choose to trust in Him. He...

In Isaiah 6, Isaiah God brings Isaiah into His presence and almighty glory. The experience of God's presence changes him and transforms him. He knows he is sinful and his sinful nature is revealed and brought to light in God's presence. Jesus forgives him for his sins, removes his guilt, and cleanses him. He responds with confidence and urgency in his desire to carry out God's will and...

In Isaiah 4 & 5, Isaiah is speaking into southern Israel as they face the captivity of Babylon. God wanted them to be sweet grapes but they chose to live differently than God instructed and therefore became bitter grapes. They chose to covet. They chose drunkenness. They chose carelessness. They chose deception. They chose injustice. They chose pride. They chose to disregard God and His presen...

In Isaiah 2 & 3, a glimmer of hope is seen in the vision of the coming millennial blessing. A vision of redemption and restoration. Before that restoration, there will be judgment. Sin has to be accounted for. We have a choice to accept the sacrifice of death Jesus gave for each of us to be counted as righteous before God, or pay for the sins of our lives with our own death and punishment. We...

In Isaiah 1, there's a court case in session and it's God vs His children. His children are guilty. God addresses a major issue in Israel through Isaiah. A sin issue. An issue of not taking God serious or knowing God and who He is. He speaks of the hypocrisy of His children doing weekly rituals with no heart. God isn't after a show. He's after our hearts. He is looking for open, ho...

In 2 Samuel 24, David is tempted and once again falls into sin by taking a census. This census wasn't ordered by God, it was a David thing. We aren't told why, but for whatever reason, he wants to know how many people are in Israel now. God doesn't need our human strength or numbers to win battles. Our legacy is built on God and God alone. God writes His story through us and has all th...

In 2 Samuel 23, we see David's last recorded words. He honors God and gives God all the glory for all the victories in and through his life. He was overlooked by his earthly father but he was anointed and put in place by God. God anoints who He chooses. God raised him up to royalty yet he remained humble and repentant before God. He had a vast crew of mighty men with him in the battles. He was...

In 2 Samuel 22, David sings a song of praise to God. He recounts all the ways God has been faithful to David despite his sin choices along the way. He praises God for His deliverance, cleansing, steadfast unfailing love, and victories. He gives all glory to God for everything God has brought him through - both the good and the bad. He sees himself in Christ - guiltless, innocent, cleansed, blamele...

In 2 Samuel 21, David has been dealing with a famine for 3 years. He calls out to God for direction and God gives the wisdom needed to stop the famine. They had endured this suffering for 3 years. When we face suffering, we can rely on God. We can seek His wisdom and guidance, we can rely wholly on God, and we can depend on His righteousness and let Him refine us through it. David also recounts ba...

In 2 Samuel 20, Sheba tries to start a revolt against David so he can take over as king. He thinks he can do it better. David jumps on the situation and gets it handled but only by the working, moving, miraculous hand of God. A woman in the town they are about to attack in an attempt to stop this wanna-be king approaches Joab and he listens to her. She brings great wisdom and some level of resolut...

In 2 Samuel 19, Joab shakes David out of his misery and into his role and calling as king. He is a king who is mourning his son's death but also a king who just won a victory in a battle. He had to set himself aside to properly handle his troops. He gets over his feelings and failures and steps up and out into his calling as king. We all need people we trust in our inner circle who will call u...

n 2 Samuel 18, the hair that Absalom loved and idolized so much became his end. He got stuck in a tree by his hair during battle and thus lost the battle. God gives us victory and when we trust and submit to God, we have His victory. When we concede to idols in our lives, they lead to our destruction. Two runners compete to bring David the news because they both believe it will be received as good...

In 2 Samuel 17, Absalom receives advice from two separate men. One of the men is loyal to David but Absalom is so self focused, he cannot see that. He takes the counsel from David's friend. David is warned by his friends and all of his men make it to safety with him. None of them desert David along the way. They arrive at their destination of safety and are warmly greeted with friends, food fo...

In 2 Samuel 16, David blindly believes lies thrown at him. Then Shimei comes along and starts cursing David and his men, calling David names, and throwing stones at them. David's nephew wants to end him but David does not let him. David is humble and trusts God. He knows his identity is in God, not the words or stones this man is throwing. We need to always be alert. Be aware of what we are li...

In 2 Samuel 15, Absalom sows seeds of distrust among some of the Israelite people towards David. He conspires against David. David mourned him for 3 years and now he is manipulating things to declare himself king. Repentance and reconciliation have not taken place between him and God or him and David and the family starts fighting against each other. David is forced to flee once again from someone...

In 2 Samuel 14, Joab arranges a plot to get David to allow his son Absalom to return. He had mourned the loss of his son for 3 years and Joab sets the wheels in motion for reconciliation. He has a woman from Tekoa tell a bold and wise story that gets David's attention David knows it's Joab's doing and concedes to letting Absalom come home but true reconciliation does not happen. Absalo...

In 2 Samuel 13, David's sin of adultery and murder is amplified through two of his sons. The sins we meddle with, allow, and accept in our lives are often embraced fully and often in excess by our children. Our actions always speak lower than our words. If we address sin, apologize, repent and turn to God for forgiveness and redemption from those sins - those actions are also seen and embraced...

In 2 Samuel 12, God sends Nathan to call David out on his sin. David felt the heaviness and weight of the guilt of his sin before God called him out on it. He was miserable. He immediately responds in repentance. He doesn't respond with a lie, avoidance, blame shifting, attacking, or avoiding. He immediately says, yeah, I totally sinned against God and I'm so sorry! The very next statement...