Isaiah 45:1-25

For Reading and Meditation:     Esther 2:8-9

One of the most fascinating things about Old Testament history is the way in which God used those who did not believe in Him to further His purposes. Cyrus, the creator of the Persian Empire, is one such example. Yet Isaiah shows us how, behind all his conquests, a divine purpose was at work: "I will strengthen you, though...

GOD cannot part with His justice even to gratify His love; and His justice shines equally with His grace in the present and eternal salvation of our soul. He gave His son for a Substitute, He appointed Him to our Surety, and punished Him in our stead. He justly condemned Him to die, though guiltless, because our sins were imputed to Him; and He justly raised Him from the dead, because our sins had been expiated by Him. His work was perfect, therefore His deliverance was just. He is a just...

A New Year's morning opens upon us, and we are still exposed to sorrow, Satan, and disappointment; sin lives in us; and a thousand things are ready to distress us; but our God says, "LOOK UNTO ME."

Look unto Me as the source of happiness, the giver of grace, and your Friend. Look unto Me in every trial, for all you want, and in every place. Look unto Me TODAY, I have blessings to bestow. I am waiting to be gracious. I am your Father in Jesus.

Believe that I am deeply interested...

"I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron." Isaiah 45:2

This was for Cyrus; but it is evermore the heritage of all the LORD's own spiritual servants. Only let us go forward by faith, and our way will be cleared for us. Crooks and turns of human craft and satanic subtlety shall be straightened for us; we shall not need to track their...

"Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else." Isaiah 45:22

This is a promise of promises. It lies at the foundation of our spiritual life. Salvation comes through a look at Him who is "a just God and a Saviour." How simple is the direction! "Look unto me." How reasonable is the requirement! Surely the creature should look to the Creator. We have looked elsewhere long enough; it...

We may gain much solace by considering what God has not said. What he has said is inexpressibly full of comfort and delight; what he has not said is scarcely less rich in consolation. It was one of these "said nots" which preserved the kingdom of Israel in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, for "the Lord said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven." 2 Kings 14:27. In our text we have an assurance that God will...

There are verses in the Bible that seem to assign evil actions to God. For example, when Abimelech had reigned three years over Israel, "God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem" Qudg. 9:23). In the days of Ahab, Micaiah said to the wicked king, "The Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these thy prophets" (1 King 22:23). Job attributed his losses to the Lord when he said, "What? shall we receive good at the hands of God, and shall we not receive evil?"...

When God made this promise to Cyrus, He was speaking of material treasures from lands of darkness that Cyrus would conquer. But we are not doing violence to the verse when we take it and apply it in a spiritual sense.

There are treasures that are discovered in the dark nights of life that are never found in days of unrelieved sunshine.

For instance, God can give songs in the darkest night (Job 35:10) that would never have been sung...

There are other attributes of God that must be mentioned, even if only briefly. Contemplation of these divine perfections lifts the soul from earth to heaven, from the petty to the sublime.

· God is righteous, that is, He is just, equitable and fair in all His dealings. He is "a just God and a Saviour'' (Isaiah 45:21).

· God is incomprehensible (Job 11:7-8). He is too great to be...

Inasmuch … as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same.Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. § In Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace. § With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption… And...