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April 22, 2016 – Isaiah 33:1-3

Isaiah33-21-22The Lord will be our Mighty One. He will be like a wide river of protection that no enemy can cross, that no enemy ship can sail upon. For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us. Isaiah 33:21-22The names of God given in the scripture can bring us hope and help us understand who this Mighty One is.  He is a river of protection, judge, and savior.  I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness;for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name.  Psalm 138:2The lyrics of the old hymn come to my mind:  Praise the name of Jesus, He’s my Rock, He’s my Fortress, He’s my Deliverer.  In Him shall I trust.  Praise the name of Jesus.  What is in a name?  My Dad told me once, I don’t have much to give you except a good name.  When we follow Jesus, our names become worth more to those who matter — Jesus and God!  For through Him we have forgiveness and Jesus becomes our friend.Isaiah prophesied the coming of Jesus.  Look, a righteous king is coming!  And honest princes will rule under him.  Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm.  Beyond that, He is like a refreshing stream of living water in the desert of life.   Do you remember during long hot summers, how we are refreshed, when we find a shady place?  That is what Jesus is to me – He renews me and refreshes me.  He gives me hope.Then comes the time when eyes are able to see truth and ears are able to hear it.  Remember how the 23rd Psalm begins?   The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want….  How can this be?  It has a message for each of us, where there is hope, there is love.  He is enough.  Where there is want, there is hunger for truth and righteousness of the great Love of the Shepherd.Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land. Then everyone who has eyes will be able to see the truth, and everyone who has ears will be able to hear it. Isaiah 32:1-3