0207devotionals

February Devotionals

February 28, 2007

I PRAY THAT OUT OF HIS GLORIOUS RICHES HE MAY
STRENGTHEN YOU WITH POWER THROUGH HIS SPIRIT
IN YOUR INNER BEING, SO THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN
YOUR HEARTS THROUGH FAITH. AND I PRAY THAT YOU,
BEING ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED IN LOVE, MAY HAVE
POWER, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE SAINTS, TO GRASP
HOW WIDE AND LONG AND HIGH AND DEEP IS THE LOVE
OF CHRIST.
                   ( EPHESIANS 3:16-18 *NIV )

Our Heavenly Father's love for us is tremendous for it even
reaches out to the entire World!   God's love is long for it covers
us for length of our lives, and it is high for it reaches to the
height of our celebrations. His love for us is deep for it reaches
to the depths of our despair and discouragements.

God's love for us is always with us throughout all of our
experiences in this life.   The Apostle Paul wrote:
I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NOR
ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR
THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT
NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL CREATION,
WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF
GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
( ROMANS 8:38-39 )

So, when you are feeling left out or all alone,
remember that you are never without God's Love, and that
He is right there with you! For THE LORD, HE IS THE ONE
WHO GOES BEFORE YOU, HE WILL BE WITH YOU, HE
WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU; DO NOT
FEAR NOR BE DISMAYED. ( DEUTERONOMY 31:8 )

Therefore have a Wonderful Week, and why not pray
tonight and thank God for His never ending love!

February 27, 2007

AND DO NOT LEAD US INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER
US FROM THE EVIL ONE. FOR YOURS IS THE KINGDOM
AND THE POWER AND THE GLORY FOREVER. AMEN.
               ( MATTHEW 6:13 *NKJV )

  We all face temptations in this life at times so, BE
SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY
THE DEVIL WALKS ABOUT LIKE A ROARING LION,
SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR. ( 1 PETER 5:8 )

After all satan knows that EACH ONE IS TEMPTED
WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY BY HIS OWN DESIRES
AND ENTICED, and that is one of his favorite tricks!
Therefore MY SON, IF SINNERS ENTICE YOU, DO
NOT CONSENT. ( PROVERBS 1:10 ) Instead; WATCH
AND PRAY, LEST YOU ENTER INTO TEMPTATION.
THE SPIRIT INDEED IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS
WEAK.( JAMES 1:14 ) ( MARK 14:38 )

Also remember that, NO TEMPTATION HAS OVER-
TAKEN YOU EXCEPT SUCH IS COMMON TO MAN; BUT
GOD IS FAITHFUL, WHO WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE
TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE, BUT WITH
THE TEMPTATION WILL ALSO MAKE THE WAY OF
ESCAPE, THAT YOU MAY BE ABLE TO BEAR IT.
( 1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 )

So, the next time you are tempted do not give in,
instead SUBMIT TO GOD. RESIST THE DEVIL AND HE
WILL FLEE FROM YOU. ( JAMES 4:7 )

NOW TO HIM WHO IS ABLE TO KEEP YOU FROM
STUMBLING, AND TO PRESENT YOU FAULTLESS
BEFORE THE PRESENCE OF HIS GLORY WITH
EXCEEDING JOY, TO GOD OUR SAVIOR, WHO ALONE
IS WISE, BE GLORY AND MAJESTY, DOMINION AND
POWER, BOTH NOW AND FOREVER.
( JUDE 24-25 )

February 26, 2007

Spiritual Warfare
by Os Hillman

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood.... - Ephesians 6:12

Have you ever heard someone say, "I will never do business with another
Christian"? I hear this comment quite often in my dealings with Christian
workplace believers. This comment represents the battle that rages against us by
the enemy of our soul to destroy the witness and effectiveness of Christian
workplace believers. We must realize that we are in a war - a war for the souls of
men, a war to discredit all that a Christian stands for, a war that is designed to
divide Christian against Christian.

Satan's ploy in the life of Christian workplace believers is to do several things to
make them ineffective as soldiers in the workplace. First, he wants to discredit
them by allowing them to fail other people in their professional services. This often
shows up in failing to perform what they committed to do or performing in an
unsatisfactory way. Sometimes, this is a result of a downright failure of the
workplace believer to perform with excellence. In other cases, it may be a
misunderstanding in the midst of the service that causes strife and division
instigated by the enemy.

The result in both cases is the same: a division among Christians and even
non-Christians, further resulting in a damaged witness for Christ. The apostle Peter
admonishes us to "live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse
you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He
visits us" (1 Pet. 2:12).

There are times when each of us is thrust into situations out of our control.
Sometimes this results in our inability to pay a bill on time, or to deliver a service.
Defeating satan in these battles requires extra communication with those with
whom we are dealing. If the motive of your heart is to do right, then God will give
you favor in order to work through these difficult spots. Ask God today to show you
where the enemy is seeking to make you ineffective.

We wage a spiritual war that is not flesh and blood. We must fight this war with
spiritual weapons applied to practical daily living.

February 25, 2007

Fruitful Suffering
by Os Hillman

..."It is because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering." - Genesis
41:52

Joseph named his second son Ephraim. Ephraim was given to him after he had been
delivered from his suffering of 13 years. Joseph said that he named him this
because God had made him fruitful in the land of his suffering. Ephraim means
"twice fruitful."

Joseph was fruitful in two instances. He was fruitful during his time of adversity and
in his prosperity. When God brings us into a time of suffering, it can be a fruitful
time. It's rare for us to see the fruit during the suffering period. But know that the
roots are going deep into the spiritual soil of our soul because of our pressing in to
God during our time of suffering. This is producing a work in our character that
cannot be seen until it finishes the process. Such was the case for Joseph.

It was not until several years after such a time of suffering that I began to see the
fruit of the trials that the Lord allowed me to experience. How grateful I am to
understand some of the "why" that has led to a new life in Him that I would never
have had without this period.

Samson had great anointing but lacked character. We see many today who have
great anointing yet lack character. But God is rising up Josephs who not only have
great anointing for these days but also great character. Suffering produces
character.

If you find yourself in a time of suffering, now is the time to press into God. Let
your roots grow deeper. Whenever there is a famine, tree roots are forced to drive
deeper into the soil to find water. These times are designed to create such a
deep-rooted faith that our natures will be changed forever.

February 24, 2007

Godly Rewards
by Os Hillman

You have said, "It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out His
requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we
call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who
challenge God escape." - Malachi 3:14-15

Have you ever felt that serving God had little reward and the ungodly seemed
actually to be more blessed than you? This is what the people of God felt. God heard
their cry and responded through the prophet Malachi to explain God's view on this
matter.

Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and
heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in His presence concerning those who
feared the Lord and honored His name. "They will be Mine," says the Lord
Almighty, "in the day when I take up My treasured possession. I will spare them,
just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him. And you will again see
the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God
and those who do not" (Malachi 3:16-18).

Notice that after the people complained about this, they began to talk to each other,
and the Lord listened and heard. God had been taking note of those who were
serving Him and honoring Him. There is a day coming in which God will honor His
"treasured possessions." We will see that there is a distinction between the
righteous and the wicked on that day when "the sun of righteousness will rise with
healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall"
(Mal. 4:2). What a beautiful picture of what we will feel like on that day.

God rewards faithful obedience. It often requires patience, suffering, and
perseverance. Be of good cheer; He will reward you if you faint not.

February 23, 2007

BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE, DO NOT FEAR OR
BE AFRAID OF THEM; FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD, HE IS
THE ONE WHO GOES WITH YOU. HE WILL NOT LEAVE OR
FORSAKE YOU.
              ( DEUTERONOMY 31:6 *NJKV )

Those words were spoken by Moses to all the children
of Israel.

David wrote, IN GOD I HAVE PUT MY TRUST;
I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?"
( PSALM 56:11 )

Our Savior Jesus Christ said, AND LO, I AM WITH YOU
ALWAYS, EVEN TO THE END OF THE AGE.
( MATTHEW 28:20 )

Those words are as true today as when they were spoken
by Jesus, David and Moses!   For our Heavenly Father is
always with us, helping, guiding and protecting us as we walk
the pathway of this life. With help like that why be fearful of
the future or anything else?

Therefore as a child of God do not fear another person,
place or thing!   After all what is fear but the opposite of faith!
So put all of your faith in God and you will be able to say,
"I SOUGHT THE LORD, AND HE HEARD ME, AND
DELIVERED ME FROM MY FEARS." Amen.
( PSALM 34:4 )

Have a Wonderful day, and may God Bless
You!

February 22, 2007

Paneled Houses
by Os Hillman

"Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house
remains a ruin?" - Haggai 1:4

There is a crisis of grand proportions in the spiritual house of God today. The moral
fiber of our world has eroded. Greed, idolatry, and pleasure are the gods of our day.
And it is no different in the Body of Christ.

The prophet Haggai wrote about a people who had lost concern for the need to build
God's house because they were so focused on their own worldly needs. It is a
dangerous place to get with God. When our world begins to focus around increasing
our pleasure, building bigger and better homes, and failing to make what is
important to God important in our own lives, this should be a warning to us.

Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there.
He overturned the tables of the moneychangers and the benches of those selling
doves. "It is written," He said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of
prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers' " (Matthew. 21:12-13).

Jesus came into Jerusalem and found the workplace believers buying and selling in
the temple. As far as they knew, this was an acceptable practice in their day. Their
fathers did it, and now they were doing it. It was business as usual. Jesus got angry,
turned over the tables, and said that His house was a house of prayer. He found the
workplace believers of the day seeing His house as a place for profit, not prayer.
They had stepped into a place of complacency that was not acceptable to the Lord.
When we begin to blend in with the moral condition of an ungodly world, we begin
losing God's perspective on life.

It is easy to begin blending in with our culture and to accept what is being modeled
by the ungodly. God called us to be salt in a world that needs much salt. "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 by
men" (Mt. 5:13). Each of us must ask ourselves if we have lost our salt. Are we
having an impact on our world? Or is our world having an impact on us? Ask God to
give you a vision for how you can be salt to your world today.

February 21, 2007

FOR I AM PERSUADED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE,
NOR ANGELS NOR PRINCIPALITIES NOR POWERS, NOR
THINGS PRESENT NOR THINGS TO COME, NOR HEIGHT
NOR DEPTH, NOR ANY OTHER CREATURE, SHALL
BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD
WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
                 (ROMANS 8:38-39 *NKJV)

God fills us with His love, and He wants us to share that
great love with others. So, BELOVED, LET US LOVE ONE
ANOTHER: FOR LOVE IS OF GOD; AND EVERYONE WHO
LOVES IS BORN OF GOD AND KNOWS GOD. HE WHO
DOES NOT LOVE DOES NOT KNOW GOD, FOR GOD
IS LOVE. ( 1 JOHN 4:7-8 )

So why not show your love for others each and every day.
After all, it's written: YOU SHALL NOT TAKE VENGEANCE,
NOR BEAR ANY GRUDGE AGAINST THE CHILDREN OF
YOUR PEOPLE, BUT YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
AS YOURSELF: I AM THE LORD. ( LEVITICUS 19:18 )

Now you can do that by being a good friend, and lending a
hand when someone is in need. It is also as simple as smiling
and saying hello to every one you meet, and asking them how
their day is going. Therefore let your love light shine brightly.
Yes indeed, LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE BEFORE MEN,
THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY
YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.          ( MATTHEW 5:16 )

Most important of all, remember what Jesus said, YOU SHALL
LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH
ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL
YOUR STRENGTH. 'THIS IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT.'
AND THE SECOND, LIKE IT, IS THIS: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR
NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' THERE IS NO COMMANDMENT
GREATER THAN THESE. For then when you do, God will fill you
with the same amount of His Love in return!   Amen.
( MARK 12:30-31 )

Have a Wonderful Day, and please don't wait until Next
St.Valentine's Day to show your love for others! ( Just Kidding )

February 20, 2007

Seeing Through God's Eyes
by Os Hillman

They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and
for the army of the Lord and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the
sword. - 2 Samuel 1:12

How would you respond if you heard something bad happened to someone who had
been trying to cut off your head for several years? King Saul had been seeking to
kill David for many years before Saul was thrust into battle against the Amalekites.
In this final battle, a sword killed Saul. When the news reached David, instead of
rejoicing that his enemy was no longer a problem for him, he responded in a totally
different manner. He mourned. Imagine that; he mourned for the one who sought
to kill him.

This is a sign of one who can look past an individual who is the source of pain and
consider how God views him. God looks on that individual and sees his needs and
knows why he responds the way he does. When we begin to see people as God does,
we'll no longer look at them as enemies, but as souls in need of grace. This is how
Jesus could give of His life for us. He saw our great need, not what we did to Him.
When someone wrongs you, do you seek to retaliate, or do you pray to understand
the need behind the offender's actions? For several years a person was a source of
constant pain and retaliation toward me. There was nothing I could do to change it.
God allowed me to go beyond the person's actions to understand what was the source
of his need. When I gained that understanding, God gave me a picture of this
person inside a prison cell and in bondage. This bondage made him respond to life in
this way. I was able to pray for him and genuinely love him in spite of the fact that
he persecuted me. This is the kind of love Jesus wants us to have when He tells us
to love our enemies and pray for those who spitefully use us.

I believe God does a special work of grace in those who go beyond the realm of
normal response to persecution. He brings us to a level of grace we never thought
possible. Describing how God worked in Joseph's life, Francis Frangipane reveals
what happens when we tap into this grace:

God made him fruitful in the very things that afflicted him. In the land of your
affliction, in your battle, is the place where God will make you fruitful. Consider,
even now, the area of greatest affliction in your life. In that area, God will make
you fruitful in such a way that your heart will be fully satisfied, and God's heart
fully glorified. God has not promised to keep us from valleys and sufferings, but to
make us fruitful in them. [Francis Frangipane, Place of Immunity (Cedar Rapids,
Iowa: Arrow Publications, 1996), 93]

February 19, 2007

Saved From Such Men
by Os Hillman

O Lord, by Your hand save me from such men, from men of this world whose
reward is in this life.... - Psalm 17:14

Whenever I travel over the ocean, I am always reminded of the seemingly
insignificant time we have on this earth. I often imagine dropping a glass of water
out the window of the jet into the huge body of water below. The Lord then reminds
me that this is how my life is compared to eternity - a mere drop in the ocean.

Yet, every day millions of people will go to work seeking to gain that elusive thing
called success. The rewards of this life continue to provide the incentive for 60-hour
weeks or the extra weekend away from the family. Sometimes we get entrenched in
the message of the world. This message is an appealing, seductive call to sell out
eternity for the temporal.

As a Christian businessman, I fell for this for many years until the Lord allowed me
to wake up. It took some severe wake-up calls, but they did their job. I'm so
grateful the Lord cares enough to give us these wake-up calls. He knows what real
life is about. We think we know what it is, only to learn once again that real life is
only in what is built on eternity. How does this verse line up with where you are
today? Are you building around a world whose reward is in this lifetime, or an
eternal one? Do those with whom you associate live in such a way that they
demonstrate their reward is not concerning this life? Jesus said to seek first His
Kingdom and all these things will be added. Amen.

February 18, 2007

Weapons of Warfare
by Os Hillman

Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. - Joel 3:10a

In this third chapter of Joel, we hear the prophet describe a time yet to come. It will
be a time of great harvest on the earth, and this verse describes the catalyst. A
plowshare is an agricultural instrument used to till the soil. At this point in history,
it was a tool that spoke of one's vocation. However, the prophet was speaking of a
time yet to come. The prophet described the plowshare as an instrument that will be
turned into a sword. The sword is often used in the Bible to describe God's Word.
The only way a plowshare can be turned into a sword is for it to go through extreme
heat, and then the blacksmith must beat that plowshare into shape. Heat and
punishment of the metal turns that plowshare into an instrument of battle. God
must do this in each of our lives in order for us to be useable as a worthy sword. We
are all in a battle - a spiritual battle. Paul describes our battle as one against the
principalities of the unseen world. I believe God is going to raise up many in the
workplace to use their plowshare as a weapon of righteousness in these last days.
That weapon won't be used for destruction, but as a weapon of love. That weapon of
love will yield a great harvest in our lifetime. But this is only part of the story.

God is also going to turn our pruning hooks into spears. A pruning hook is used in
two ways. First, it is used to prune a tree for greater growth and productivity. It is
also used to cut the fruit from taller trees in which one cannot reach the fruit. This
fruit from our vocation is going to be cast forth like a spear, but even more as seed
planted to bring the harvest of which Joel speaks. Fruit from our work life is often
the financial rewards generated. God wants to use our finances and everything else
for His purposes. We must use our vocations and the fruit that comes from them as
seed to bring the great harvest that God is planning.

How are you using your plowshare and your pruning hook for God's glory today?
Ask God to show you how He wants to use your skills, resources, and relationships
to prepare for the great harvest He has planned.

February 17, 2007

Unexplainable Power
by Os Hillman

I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen,
but still you people do not accept our testimony. - John 3:11

When is the last time God did something in your work life that can only be
explained as God? Was it yesterday? Was it just last week? A month ago? A year
ago? The answer to this question may mean several things. If it has been some time
since you saw God's activity in such a way that you know it was His hand, you may
not be trusting to a level that requires faith. You may not be risking enough for
God to show Himself. The converts in the early Church changed the world they lived
in because of what they saw and heard. It was the power of the gospel that changed
lives, not what they learned from mere teaching. This power drew people to Christ.
Things happened that could not be explained as anything other than the activity of
God. Is that the kind of faith you are experiencing in your life? Many of us live a
wholesome, moral life, but those we associate with do not see this activity as
anything that cannot also be achieved by themselves. That is why many are not
drawn to our lives. God's power is not evident. The Lord has been challenging me to
trust Him at levels I have never trusted before. This level of trust has placed me in
a vulnerable position. However, the blessing of this relationship is that I see the
activity of God as never before, and those close to me see it as well. It builds their
faith and draws others to investigate.

Sometimes the activity of God comes in unusual ways. God often sets up scenes that
appear to be negative on the front end, but God has orchestrated these events for
His glory.

. Without Pharaoh's pursuit of Israel at the Red Sea, there is no miraculous
deliverance.

. Without Lazarus's death, there is no rising to life.

. Without Goliath, there is no underdog story.

. Without Peter stepping out of the boat, there is no miracle on the water.

. Without Judas' betrayal, there is no resurrection.

God wants to show Himself in ways you and I cannot imagine. Let God demonstrate
His power in your workplace today. Then, you will see "all men drawn unto Me."

February 16, 2007

CAST YOUR BREAD UPON THE WATERS, FOR AFTER
MANY DAYS YOU WILL FIND IT AGAIN. GIVE PORTIONS
TO SEVEN, YES TO EIGHT, FOR YOU DO NOT KNOW
WHAT DISASTER MAY COME UPON THE LAND.
        ( ECCLESIASTES 11:1-2 *NIV )

Many people have wondered what is meant by "Cast
your bread upon the water, and you will find it."   Well, it is
An old Hebrew Idiom meaning to give to charity and it will
be returned to you.

After all it is written: HE WHO IS KIND TO THE POOR
LENDS TO THE LORD, AND HE WILL REWARD HIM FOR
WHAT HE HAS DONE. ( PROVERBS 19:17 ) This is
because, THERE WILL ALWAYS BE POOR PEOPLE IN
THE LAND. THEREFORE I COMMAND YOU TO BE
OPENHANDED TOWARD YOUR BROTHERS AND
TOWARD THE POOR AND NEEDY IN YOUR LAND.
( DEUTERONOMY 15:11 )

So, always remember those who are in need,
and the homeless among us: SO THE POOR HAVE HOPE,
AND INJUSTICE SHUTS ITS MOUTH. ( JOB 5:16 ) After all our
Savior Jesus Christ said, "I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WHAT-
EVER YOU DID FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE
BROTHERS OF MINE, YOU DID FOR ME."
( MATTHEW 25:40 )

February 15, 2007

Having Eyes for One
by Os Hillman

Then they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached
the shore where they were heading. - John 6:21

The disciples were traveling across the lake to Capernaum when a strong wind arose
and the waters grew rough. Suddenly they saw a figure on the water, and they were
terrified until Jesus called out to them and identified Himself.

Isn't that the first thing we do when unexpected calamities or even something that
we have never experienced before comes into our life? We panic until we can see
that God is behind these events in our lives. In Romans, Paul tells us that, "from
Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever!
Amen" (Rom. 11:36). God has an eternal filter in which nothing can touch us unless
He permits it. Even satan must have permission to touch us. And God may even use
satan for His own ends, as in the case of Job.

God shows us a second principle in this story. The Scriptures say when the disciples
were willing to take Jesus into the boat, they reached the shore where they were
heading.

I was faced with some very difficult circumstances in my business. I had no income
for some time, and I saw no immediate remedy to the situation. The circumstances
created fear in my heart. The anxiety began to grow until, one day after my evening
prayer walk, the Lord said, "How long do you want to keep your eyes on the
circumstances instead of Me? Do you think I have brought you this far to throw you
into the water?" The truth was that I was halfway in already because my eyes were
looking at the "big waves" surrounding my boat. One night, in a support group for
divorced men, the leader asked each of us to keep our eyes on two men who were
going to walk from the room. One man represented Jesus, the other, our
circumstances. "Now, I want you to keep your eyes on both people," he said. The
men stood up and began walking across the room in opposite directions. It was
impossible to keep looking at each of them at the same time. So we had to choose
which we would focus on.

The lesson was clear. We could not keep our eyes on Jesus and our circumstance at
the same time.

February 14, 2007

YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE; YOU WILL PROTECT ME
FROM TROUBLE AND SURROUND ME WITH SONGS
OF DELIVERANCE.
             ( PSALM 32:7 *NIV )

Now when problems surround us and we feel
overwhelmed by them, we all would like to escape from
them even if it is for only a little while! When we turn our
problems over to God we can escape!

Thus, just like king David who wrote, THOUGH I WALK
IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE, YOU PRESERVE MY
LIFE; YOU STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND AGAINST
THE ANGER OF MY FOES, WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND
YOU SAVE ME. ( PSALM 138:7 ) FOR IN THE DAY
OF TROUBLE HE WILL KEEP ME SAFE IN HIS
DWELLING; HE WILL HIDE ME IN THE SHELTER OF HIS
TABERNACLE AND SET ME HIGH UPON A ROCK.
( PSALM 27:5 )

For, THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU ALWAYS; HE WILL
SATISFY YOUR NEEDS IN A SUN-SCORCHED LAND
AND WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR FRAME.   YOU WILL
BE LIKE A WELL-WATERED GARDEN, LIKE A
SPRING WHOSE WATERS NEVER FAIL.
( ISAIAH 58:11 )

So, the next time problems start getting you
down, and you think it is impossible to handle them,
remember the words of our Savior Jesus Christ, "WHAT
IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH MEN IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD!"
( LUKE 18:27 )

February 13, 2007

Time to Hear
by Os Hillman, February 13, 2007

He who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show Myself
to him. - John 14:21b

We live in a day of 12-step programs for this, four points to success for that, and all
forms of programmed means of becoming successful. Have you ever wondered how
you can guarantee a greater revelation of Jesus in your life? Jesus tells us how this
can be done. It is all tied to obedience. In John, He tells us the following: "Whoever
has My commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves Me. He who loves Me
will be loved by My Father, and I too will love him and show Myself to him" (Jn.
14:21). The key here is in the last three words. He will show Himself to us because
of our loving Him through our obedience. The more obedient we become, the more
revelation of His presence we will feel in our life. Jeremiah tells us, "Call to Me and
I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" (Jer.
33:3).

Many Christians wonder why they cannot hear or sense God's presence in their life.
It is because they do not seek Him with a whole heart, and they are not obedient to
the things He has asked. God does not show us the next move until we are obedient
to the first thing He has spoken to us. It is a progressive process. He entrusts the
small things to us first, then moves us to the larger. I was like many today who are
so focused on seeking the activity of God rather than seeking God Himself. Hebrews
tells us that God rewards those who diligently seek Him. In the Old Testament we
are told, "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find Him if you
look for Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deut. 4:29).

I realized if I was going to hear God's voice, I had to make time to seek Him and
hear Him. I had to spend focused time alone reading, studying, and seeking His face
only. Jesus set the model for this when He often left the crowds to be alone and
seek His heavenly Father. I also had to tune my "radio" to His frequency. Static
comes into that frequency when I am disobedient. My level of seeking determines
the power of my "radio" to reach Him. The more I seek Him, the more I hear Him.
Seek the Lord today so that you may be empowered by His presence

February 12, 2007

Worthless Idols
by Os Hillman

Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. -
Jonah 2:8

Have you ever exercised your will over the will of God? Have you ever
been so willful that you were going to go your own way no matter what
God said? If so, you have been at the same place as the prophet Jonah.
God called Jonah to deliver a message to God's people as a warning.
Jonah flatly refused. It was Jonah's will over God's. Guess who won?

Talk about willpower; Jonah had it! In fact, he was so rebellious toward
God's will that he got on a ship to go the opposite direction. But he
couldn't go far enough. The omnipotence of God caught up with Jonah,
and he was hurled overboard when the seas became rough and the ship's
crew figured Jonah was the source of their problems. Overboard he went
and into the belly of that big fish.

God has a way of getting us to rethink our decisions, to reconsider our
position. In fact, we see the extent of Jonah's willfulness by the amount of
time he was willing to hang out in the belly of that fish - three full days.
Then, Jonah decides enough is enough! Obedience is better than this fish
belly and seaweed.

From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.

He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From
the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry. You
hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents
swirled about me; all Your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, 'I
have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy
temple.' The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I
sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But You brought my
life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was ebbing away, I
remembered You, Lord, and my prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple.
Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. What I have vowed
I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord." And the Lord
commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Then the word of
the Lord came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh
and proclaim to it the message I give you." Jonah obeyed the word of the
Lord and went to Nineveh (Jonah 2:2-3:3a).

In the midst of realizing his own calamity, Jonah made a seemingly
out-of-context statement: "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the
grace that could be theirs." Jonah was thinking of the sailors who threw
him overboard and how they prayed to worthless idols. In the business
world, we rub shoulders with those who cling to worthless idols every
day. How tragic.

But this story's primary message is for every believer. And I can identify
with Jonah. There's been many a man placed in the "belly of the fish" to
encourage him to fulfill the purposes of God for which He called him.
Jonah's situation changed immediately upon his obedience. Obedience is
a mysterious thing. Jesus had to learn it through the things He suffered
(see Heb. 5:8). If Jesus had to learn obedience through suffering, what
does that mean for you and me? Sometimes willing obedience requires
encouragement.

February 11, 2007

LET ALL THOSE REJOICE WHO PUT THEIR TRUST IN YOU;
LET THEM EVER SHOUT FOR JOY. BECAUSE YOU DEFEND
THEM; LET THOSE ALSO WHO LOVE YOUR NAME BE
JOYFUL IN YOU.
          ( Psalm 5:11 *NKJV )

The Secret

One day, one friend asked another, "How is it that you are always
so happy? You have so much energy, and you never seem to get
down."

With her eyes smiling, she said, "I know the Secret!"
"What secret is that?" To which she replied, "I'll tell you all
about it,
but you have to promise to share the Secret with others."

"The Secret is this: "I have learned there is little I can do in
my
life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to
make me happy and to meet my needs. When a need arises
in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches.".

"I have learned most of the time I don't need half of what I think
I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that 'Secret',
I am happy."

The questioner's first thought was, "That's too simple!" But upon
reflecting over his own life he recalled how he thought a bigger
house would make him happy, but it didn't!

He thought a better paying job would make him happy, but it
hadn't.

When did he realize his greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor
with his grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a
story, a simple gift from God.

Now, you know it too! We can't depend on people to
make us happy. Only GOD in His infinite wisdom can do that.
Trust HIM! And now I pass the Secret on to you!

February 10, 2007

Precious Deaths
by Os Hillman

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. - Psalm 116:15

The Bible often speaks of death as a requirement of living a life in Christ.
This death is not a physical death, but a spiritual death. It is a death of the
old so the new can be raised. It is the life of Christ that is raised in us.
However, this death can be painful if we do not choose to willingly allow
this "circumcision of heart" to have its way. If we are not circumcised of
heart, we do not enter into God's promises. Moses was called to deliver a
people from slavery. But when he was about to return to Egypt to begin
what God called Him to do, God almost killed him. He had failed to take
care of the details of obedience. In this case, it was that all the males in
his family were to be circumcised. This oversight on Moses' part almost
cost him his life. Imagine that - God prepared a man 40 years, and yet, he
was almost disqualified because of an oversight. "At a lodging place on
the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. But Zipporah took a
flint knife, cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' feet with it..."
(Ex. 4:24).

None of us will ever enter the Promised Land of full blessing with God
unless we have this same circumcision of heart. The psalmist above
accurately describes the process of circumcising the heart.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints. O Lord, truly I
am Your servant; I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant; You
have freed me from my chains (Psalm 116:15-16).

We cannot be free to be God's servant until this death takes place in each
of us. When this death takes place, we become free - free from the chains
of sin that held us back from becoming completely His. Oh, what freedom
there is when this death takes place. No longer are we held to the sin of
materialism, fear, self-effort, or anxiety, for we are dead to these things.

The Bible speaks of the seed that must die in order for it to spring up and
give new life.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it
remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man
who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world
will keep it for eternal life (John 12:24-25).

Each of us must ask the Lord if our seed has died. Is it in the ground now,
yielding the fruit of brokenness before Him? This is the great paradox of a
life in Christ - the circumcision of heart and the death process. Ask God to
free you to become all that He wants you to be today.

February 9, 2007

Sowing in Tears
by Os Hillman, February 9, 2007

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. - Psalm 126:5

Psalm 126 describes an interesting process that goes against our natural
tendencies when we are taken into a difficult period in our lives.
Whenever we are hurled into a crisis that brings tears, our tendency is to
retreat or recoil in fear and hurt. However, there is a better way that God
tells us to handle such times of travail.

Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. "He who goes out
weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying
sheaves with him" (Ps. 126:5-6). God is telling us that if we will do what is
unnatural for us in these circumstances, He will make sure that what we
sow in tears will return in joy. This is one of the most important lessons I
have learned when faced with difficult circumstances. Rather than sit back
and allow self-pity and discouragement to consume us, we should plant
seed during this time. Reach out to a person who needs a friend. Invest in
the life of another. See where you can be a blessing to someone. Give of
yourself.

The psalmist acknowledges that we are doing this while we are in our
pain. However, during this time we are to sow seed. That seed will return
to us in another form. Here is what will happen when we do this. "He who
goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy,
carrying sheaves with him." We will receive joy and fruit from the seed
that we plant during this time. Sheaves represent the fruit of a harvest.
We will actually get a harvest from this seed.

"You must not let the circumstances destroy you! Too many in the
Kingdom are counting on you to come through this because of the calling
on your life!" Those were the words spoken to me by a friend one time
when I was in the midst of a very difficult business and personal
circumstance that was threatening to destroy me emotionally. This person
saw what God was doing and the fruit that God wanted to bring from these
circumstances. Sometimes we need others around us to push us through
the difficult times. If you find yourself in a difficult place today, see where
you can sow some seed. Soon you will be reaping songs of joy.

February 8, 2007

AND THE LORD, HE IS THE ONE WHO GOES BEFORE
YOU. HE WILL NOT LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU;
DO NOT FEAR NOR BE DISMAYED.
( DEUTERONOMY 31:8 *NKJV )

There are times when we are fearful of current events or
even the future, for fear is a tool that satan uses to attack
our faith in our Heavenly Father. After all fear causes worry,
and what is worry and fear anyway, but the opposite of faith!

Now it is important for a Child of God to remember that
GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US A SPIRIT OF FEAR, BUT OF
POWER AND OF LOVE AND OF A SOUND MIND.
( 2 TIMOTHY 1:7 )   And God has made us this promise,
FOR I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, WILL HOLD YOUR RIGHT
HAND, SAYING TO YOU, "FEAR NOT, I WILL HELP YOU."
( ISAIAH 41:13 )

So, the next time that fear strikes you remember to
hold fast to your faith!   After all you can always CAST ALL
YOUR BURDEN ON THE LORD, AND HE SHALL SUSTAIN
YOU; HE SHALL NEVER PERMIT THE RIGHTEOUS TO BE
MOVED. ( PSALM 55:22 )

FINALLY, BRETHREN, FAREWELL. BECOME
COMPLETE. BE OF GOOD COMFORT, BE OF ONE MIND,
LIVE IN PEACE; AND THE GOD OF LOVE AND PEACE
WILL BE WITH YOU.         ( 2 CORINTHIANS 13:11 )

Therefore, have a great day today filled with
peace, and remember that "Worry is the darkroom in which
negatives are developed."

February 7, 2007

Decision-making
by Os Hillman

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own
understanding. - Proverbs 3:5

This is one of the most quoted verses in the Bible related to gaining
wisdom and direction from God. Yet I have never heard one teaching on
this passage that teaches what I believe the psalmist is really saying. The
first part is pretty easy; we are to trust with all our heart. But the next part
is not so clear. We are not to lean on our own understanding. If we are not
to lean on our own understanding, on whose understanding are we to
lean? God's!

Throughout the Old Testament we find that God set up structures by
which those in authority made decisions. God has always set a principle
whereby we are to seek Him in all our decisions, that He might truly make
our decisions. In the Old Testament, the priest made decisions based on
which way the Urim and Thummim fell inside his breastplate. The casting
of lots was another means of allowing a decision to be left with God.
Proverbs says, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from
the Lord" (Prov. 16:33). Another means of making a decision was through
the agreement of two or three. No one could be guilty of any crime without
the witness of two or three. This was a biblical way of confirming a matter.
Still another means of making a decision is through a multitude of
counselors.

Given all these scenarios, what are we to gain from these examples? We
are told in Jeremiah 17:9a, "The heart is deceitful above all things and
beyond cure." So what really protects each of us from the deceit of our
own heart? I believe it is the combination of all the above. When we get to
a place with God that our decisions are accountable to others, whether
that be a wife, a board, or a few close friends who are committed to the
same Godly ideals, this is when we are protected from the deceit of our
own heart. This is one of the hardest things to yield to God-the right to
make our own decisions. Yet, it is the most elementary principle God
requires of us to receive His blessing in our lives.

This principle took a long time for me to appropriate. However, today I can
tell you I would never make a major decision without the counsel of others
who are close to me. Relational accountability has become lost in our
culture due to our hunger for independence. I have experienced too
often the hardship that results from making decisions that God isn't
behind. Walking in obedience is the only real freedom in Christ.

February 6, 2007

THE LORD IS FAR FROM THE WICKED, BUT HE HEARS THE
PRAYERS OF THE RIGHTEOUS.
( PROVERBS 15:29 *NKJV )

We may pray that God will handle a problem for us, or to
fulfill a dream we have, while never letting it go for Him to
handle.
We instead take it back and try to handle it on our own.

We may then even put all of our trust in another to solve it for
us as well. Now it is written; IT IS BETTER TO TRUST IN THE
LORD THAN TO PUT CONFIDENCE IN MAN. ( PSALM 118:8 )

So the next time that you ask God to handle something for you,
leave it in God's capable hands, and; REST IN THE LORD, AND
WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM. ( PSALM 37:7 )   Do not pull it back
again and try to handle it without Him.

Now this reminds me of a poem that has ministered to me,
and I will share it with you right now. I hope that it ministers to
you as well.

           Broken Dreams

         As children bring
         their broken toys
    with tears for us to mend,
   I brought my broken dreams
                 to God
   because He was my friend!

         But then instead
            of leaving Him
      in peace to work alone,
           I hung around
        and tried to help
            with ways
        that were my own.

   At last I snatched them back
              and cried,
    "How can you be so slow?"
        "My child," He said
         "What could I do?
       You never did let go."
                             Author Unknown

February 5, 2007

Obedience With a Cost

by Os Hillman

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has brought
trouble upon this people, and You have not rescued Your people at all. -
Exodus 5:23

Have you ever felt like you have been obedient to the Lord for something
He called you to do and all you get are more roadblocks? This is the way
Moses felt. When Moses went to tell Pharaoh to release the people
because God said so, Pharaoh simply got angry and made the people
make bricks without straw. Moses caught the blame for this from the
people. Moses was just learning what obedience really means in God's
Kingdom. You see Moses had not even begun to release plagues upon
Egypt. He hadn't even gotten started yet in his calling, and he was
complaining about his circumstances. There were many more encounters
with Pharaoh to come, and many more plagues with no deliverances in
sight. Why would God tell Moses that He is going to deliver them and not
do it?

It was all in timing. God never said when He was going to deliver. He just
said He would. In the next chapter, we find Moses arguing with God about
not being capable of the job God had called him to:

But Moses said to the Lord, "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why
would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?" Now the
Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of
Egypt, and He commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt
(Exodus 6:12-13).

Do you get the feeling God was losing His patience?

God had a good reason for His delays. He said, "And the Egyptians will
know that I am the Lord when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and
bring the Israelites out of it" (Ex. 7:5). God not only wanted the people of
Israel but also the Egyptians to know Him. It would be the greatest show of
God's power on earth.

God often causes delays in our lives that we cannot understand.
Sometimes it seems our obedience is not getting rewarded. Jesus said He
learned obedience through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). Imagine
that - Jesus having to learn obedience. What does that say for you and
me? Sometimes God's delays are simply because He wants more glory in
the situation, more recognition, more Christ-likeness in you and me
through greater patience and obedience. Faint not, for the promise may
yet come.

February 4, 2007

Jesus said; "COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO ARE WEARY
AND BURDENED, AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. TAKE MY
YOKE UPON YOU AND LEARN FROM ME, FOR I AM GENTLE
AND HUMBLE IN HEART, AND YOU WILL FIND REST FOR
YOUR SOULS. FOR MY YOKE IS EASY AND MY BURDEN IS
LIGHT."
   ( MATTHEW 11:28-30 *NIV )

As you already know, sometimes it is hard to find any rest with so many
trials, tribulations, conflicts, and burdens in our lives today.
However when we follow Jesus, He will provide us with rest and
make our burdens lighter. For; THE LORD UPHOLDS ALL
THOSE WHO FALL AND LIFTS UP ALL WHO ARE BOWED
DOWN. ( PSALM 145:14 )

So when you feel stressed; CAST YOUR CARES ON THE
LORD AND HE WILL SUSTAIN YOU; HE WILL NEVER LET
THE RIGHTEOUS FALL. ( PSALM 55:22 ) After all; GOD IS
OUR REFUGE AND STRENGTH, AN EVER-PRESENT
HELP IN TROUBLE.   ( PSALM 46:1 )

Also remember that; BLESSED IS THE MAN WHO
PERSEVERES UNDER TRIAL, BECAUSE WHEN HE HAS
STOOD THE TEST, HE WILL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF
LIFE THAT GOD HAS PROMISED TO THOSE WHO LOVE
HIM. ( JAMES 1:12 )

Therefore; PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF
OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE FATHER OF COMPASSION
AND THE GOD OF ALL COMFORT, WHO COMFORTS US IN
ALL OUR TROUBLES, SO THAT WE CAN COMFORT
THOSE IN ANY TROUBLE WITH THE COMFORT WE
OURSELVES HAVE RECEIVED FROM GOD.    Amen.
( 2 CORINTHIANS 1:3-4 )

Now have a wonderful day that is filled with "Peace,"
and SMILE for after all God Loves You!

February 3, 2007

YOU WERE ONCE DARKNESS, BUT NOW YOU ARE LIGHT IN
THE LORD. LIVE AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT, FOR THE FRUIT
OF THE LIGHT CONSISTS IN ALL GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUS-
NESS AND TRUTH.
  ( EPHESIANS 5:8-9 * NIV )

As Children of Light our actions should reflect our faith, and
shine
brightly to others. We should never be afraid to show our faith no
matter where we are, or who we are with. After all we are beacons
of God's Love shining out into dark World that is searching for love
in all the wrong places. A World that is full of
people without love, hope and faith.

Therefore our Savior Jesus Christ stressed this truth in the
Sermon on the Mount, for He said "YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE
WORLD. A CITY ON A HILL CANNOT BE HIDDEN. 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."             ( MATTHEW 5:14-15 )

You probably have known people that
seem to light up a room when they enter, well, IN THE SAME WAY,
LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN, THAT THEY MAY SEE
YOUR GOOD DEEDS AND PRAISE YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN.
( MATTHEW 5:16 )

Now you may be thinking "my light is a dim one."   Well, I
believe
that our dim light is magnified by the immense mirror of God's Love.
Thus it truly shines brightly when we tell others about our Heavenly
Father, and show goodness toward the people in our lives!   So try
it today and see for yourself, for if everyone would light just one
little candle what a bright World this would be!

February 2, 2007

A Talking Donkey

by Os Hillman

The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always
ridden, to this day?" - Numbers 22:30

Most workplace believers I know tend to be task-oriented, motivated visionaries.
And they will do just about anything to make their projects successful. This great
strength can, if not properly bridled ,can be a great weakness in their ability to
fulfill God's will in their life.

Sometimes we want something to succeed so much that we fail to listen to that little
voice inside trying to warn us by directing us on a different path. Such was the case
of Balaam. He started out as a man of God, but then took the path of a
"prophet-for-hire." God was not pleased with Balaam's decision to respond to a
pagan king's request that he curse Israel. As Balaam rode his donkey to keep his
appointment with the king, God sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the way and
oppose Balaam. Although Balaam did not see the angel, his donkey did. Three times
the donkey turned from the path and three times Balaam beat the animal in anger.
Finally, the donkey turned around, and to Balaam's shock and amazement, began to
speak to him, admonishing his master for beating him. Imagine a donkey talking to
you! He warned Balaam of the angel of death who was standing in the road with a
sword drawn, ready to kill Balaam if he continued.

There are times when pushing harder, trying to manipulate the circumstance, or
pressing those around you is not the response to have to the roadblock. God may be
trying to have you reconsider your ways. God may be doing one of four things when
you are faced with an obstacle: 1) He's blocking it to protect you. 2) His timing to
complete this stage is not the same as yours, and He may need you to go through a
process of character refinement. 3) He may want other players to get in place, and
the circumstances are not yet ready for them to enter. 4) He may be using the
process to develop patience in you. Relying on the Holy Spirit to know which one
applies to your situation is the key to moving in God's timing.

February 1, 2007

THIS IS WHAT THE LORD SAYS-YOUR REDEEMER, THE
HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL: "I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD, WHO
TEACHES YOU WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU, WHO DIRECTS
YOU IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO.
     ( ISAIAH 48:17 *NIV )

When we turn our life and will over to the care of GOD, He
will guide us on the journey to become the person that we
were meant to be. For He has promised; I WILL INSTRUCT
YOU AND TEACH YOU IN THE WAY YOU SHOULD GO; I
WILL COUNSEL YOU AND WATCH OVER YOU.
( PSALM 32:8 )

Now in the process of becoming that person, our life will be
filled with love, hope, faith and fulfillment, as we have never
known before! The emptiness we felt before will be filled to
overflowing!   We will then start looking at life differently, and
loving every moment of it. This is because; IF ANYONE IS
IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; THE OLD HAS GONE,
THE NEW HAS COME!     ( 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17 )

Therefore , I pray that you are on that journey right
now, and feel these changes within yourself!   If not, today is a
great day to start that journey! Just tell God that you are ready,
and; THE LORD WILL GUIDE YOU ALWAYS; HE WILL
SATISFY YOUR NEEDS IN A SUN-SCORCHED LAND AND
WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR FRAME. YOU WILL BE LIKE A
WELL WATERED GARDEN, LIKE A SPRING WHOSE
WATERS NEVER FAIL.            ( ISAIAH 58:11 )