ISAIAH

Chapter 1

Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. Isaiah 1:18 – In Amos 3:3, scripture says, “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet?” God is inviting us to meet with Him, to reason together what we have done, and is offering a path for us to walk with Him. He was inviting His people close and offering to purify them even though they have sinned tremendously against Him. God wanted to walk with His people and He wants to walk with us to. God wants to make us who are stained with the scarlet of sin pure as snow so we can be with Him. We must though agree on the path to turn away from our sin. We can’t walk God’s path while continuing to walk towards sin. Which path have you chosen today? Were you thinking that somehow today you could be walking with God yet still following your sin? Those are two separate paths going in complete opposite directions. Agree to the path God has offered you, the journey and end will be so much more fulfilling. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1202

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. Isaiah 1:11 – Welcome to a new study together of a new book, Isaiah. With 66 chapters, we’ll be in this for a couple months, so what’s happening? Isaiah is sent to speak to the nation of Judah about their sinfulness and walking away from the Lord’s ways. Here in verse 11 we see the Lord speaking through Isaiah to His people. At first it seems odd for God to say such things. That He has had enough of the sacrifices, that He doesn’t delight in them, and these offerings mean nothing to Him despite a multitude of sacrifices. Now hold on, didn’t God command them to give such sacrifices to Him? Why would He be saying such things then? Well imagine someone activity stealing from you every day. You tell them to stop, but they just keep stealing. One day though they bring you a chocolate bar as a gift, hoping to make you happy with them again, yet they continue to steal from you daily after it. The chocolate bar is nice for sure, but it means nothing if they didn’t stop stealing from you like you asked. The people of Judah were sinning against God constantly, and in their sin, they sought to give God sacrifices to make Him stop punishing them, but they never stopped their sinning. What good is a sacrifice for sin if the sin never stops? For us today, know God loves seeing us do things like going to church, giving our offerings, reading scripture, and serving the least of these. Yet…if we are purposefully continuing in sin somehow, know God isn’t not pleased with the above actions. In fact, the very things we are doing for Him can become an abomination to Him. First set aside the sin, then bring your offering to the Lord. What is it to the Lord if you bring a multitude of religious actions to Him if sin is still close to your heart? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2668

Chapter 2

It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills; and all the nations shall flow to it, Isaiah 2:2 – God is higher than all else and will place Himself in that role. We see throughout this passage the prophet speaking of all the things that will be humbled and brought low. The pride of men, the lofty cites, the idols that people have created and come to love. When God exalts Himself all the things that lifted themselves up against Him won’t be able to stand. Hopefully your life isn’t one of those things. Hopefully you’ve already taken a humble posture towards God and instead of exalting yourself you are exalting Him with your life. Have confidence there will be a day when every knee will bow and every tongue confesses that Jesus is Lord. Let’s let our knees and tongues already be in the habit of doing both things when that day comes. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1203

O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord. Isaiah 2:5 – Isaiah begins this chapter by proclaiming the wondrous reign of God in the last days. Where He will be established above all other things in this world, and all will bow down and worship Him. While this is the promised future, Isaiah is seeking to open the eyes of his listeners to the truth of how different their life is currently from this. They were not bowing down to God, but worshiping idols created by their hands. So the message to the listeners was to let go of the sin, and begin living now as we will in the last days…humbly before King Jesus in the light of the Lord. I love this quote from Spurgeon on this passage, “You know that, if you were to go to Australia in a good sound ship, you would get there even if you were always to lie down in the hold among the luggage and the rats; but I should like to go in a first-class cabin, and I do not see why you and I, if we are going to heaven, should not go first-class.” We are headed towards Heaven. We are heading towards a time when Jesus will reign over all and every knee will bow before Him. Why not live in the light of the Lord now, like we will for the rest of time, rather than living in the darkness of sin today. Yes, we can live a dark, depressing Christian life of no joy and still saying yes to the sin that so easily entangles, or we can live “first class.” Live in the light, live as Jesus calls us to in scripture to live. There we will find the joy, strength, peace, and rest that God offers each and every day. This all begins though with a choice of who you will bend your knee to today. Yourself? Something of this world? Satan? Or Jesus? Walk in the light, and get practice today bending knee to Jesus, for one day that will be the posture we all will take. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2669

Chapter 3

Instead of perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a belt, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a skirt of sackcloth; and branding instead of beauty. Isaiah 3:24 – To help you understand the context, you could read the verse by adding “Because of your sin…” right before the first “instead of.” God was opening the eyes of His people that the beauty and riches they have gained as a result of pursing sin wasn’t going to last. That He Himself was going to put an end to all of it and the things they held so dear would actually become signs  of disgrace for them. How often has this happened with us? Where the sinful things we thought were so cool and gave us a temporary fulfillment become later on things we wish were never chapters in our story. Lets open our eyes a little more to the fullness of what our sin actually gives us, a temporary high and then a lifetime of regret. Think in the moment of temptation is the end result of what this sin gives me going to be something I want as a permanent part of the story of my life. If not, then step away and choose a new path. Your story is a beautiful one, don’t let it be filled with chapters you long to skip over. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1204

The Lord has taken his place to contend; he stands to judge peoples. Isaiah 3:13 – Imagine being in court for a crime you committed. The prosecutor stands up and proclaims your wrongs and his belief that you ought to be punished for your wrongs. Now though it’s up to the judge to decide what to do, yet…what if the prosecutor is also the judge? If the prosecutor and the judge are the same person, you know you’ll be found guilty. Here God is declaring Himself both prosecutor and judge. He is shedding light on the sinfulness of Judah, and revealing the coming punishment on such sin. As you read over the chapter, you see such a level of despair ahead for Judah, and if only they would have acknowledged God’s reign, things would likely have been different. Can we then today acknowledge that God is still both prosecutor and judge? If then that’s the case, and God sees all our life, and God is the one that deals out the judgement…ought we not live in such a way that is pleasing to Him? Our obedience and submission to God ought not to be out of fear of punishment, yet let’s acknowledge the majesty and power of the God we follow and treat our relationship with Him with such understanding. While we may be saved from our sin, God will still allow us to taste the bitter consequences of our choices of sin in this life when we continue to embrace it. Choose to embrace a faithful life instead. Understand God’s power, learn His ways, and seek to remain faithful to the path He leads. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2670

Chapter 4

And seven women shall take hold of one man in that day, saying, “We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes, only let us be called by your name; take away our reproach.” Isaiah 4:1 – Due to all the calamity that was to come, and all the men that would die as a result, women would be clamoring after the few men that were left to take away their shame of being labeled unmarried. No lady in that culture wanted to be unmarried because of all the shame that was attached to is. What labels are ones we today don’t want to carry that come along with the sin in this world? Abuser, sinner, angry, lustful, selfish. When filled with shame due to those labels on us because of our sin, where do we run to find freedom from that shame? Know God is welcoming you fully into Him and He has the power to change your label. As we read in verse 3, He has the power to label you holy. And only through Him can we find that change of label. So today, if you’re carrying a label that drowns you in shame, know Jesus has the power to change all that. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac- Daily DEVO 1205

In that day the branch of the Lord shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and honor of the survivors of Israel. Isaiah 4:2 – Chapter 3 was a detailed description of the struggle that was to come for God’s people due to their choice of sinfulness. Yet, even in that season of struggle, there was a promised hope for them to look forward to. In the day of the Lord, when Christ returns, there will be a beautiful and glorious future ahead for those who faithfully follow Him. While a short chapter, we see God provide new labels His people will carry once His Righteous Branch, Jesus Christ, comes. Before the labels were things like sinful, adulterous, prideful, and rotten. Now they will be called holy, they will be washed of all filth, they will be shaded from the heat and sheltered from the storms. In Christ, the promise we can lean into is a relationship of security, shade, shelter, and sanctification. Know then today that while we too are still looking forward to the day of the Lord, when He returns and makes all things new and right, we can abide in His love and presence with us and enjoy the fruits of our Savior. We can find the safety in life’s storms because of Jesus. We can find the washing of our sin through Jesus. We can find the refreshing shade in the heat of life within Jesus. What we need, we can find in Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2671

Chapter 5

He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes. Isaiah 5:2 – God set His people up for success spiritually. He cleared the way, planted in them good things, even watched out for them from harm, yet what they choose to grow wasn’t at all what God wanted. God desired holiness and goodness to grow yet sinfulness and corruption grew instead. God has planted you in good soil and pour over you beautiful things to help you grow right. What fruit then is growing out of your life? Galatians 5:22-23 lists off the fruits God wants to see grow and Galatians 5:19-21 lists off the fruits God doesn’t want to see grow. If you were to look honestly at the fruit growing in your story, which section of scripture would that fruit resemble more? Let’s grow the sort of fruit that not only is pleasing to God but can help those around us as well. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1206

What more was there to do for my vineyard, that I have not done in it? When I looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yield wild grapes?Isaiah 5:4 – Imagine a vineyard owner who truly loved his vineyard. He made sure it had water, sun, shade, and protection from pests. Everything one could think of that someone could do for a vineyard, he did. Yet, even after all that love, the vineyard yielded bad grapes. The original meaning behind “wild grapes” was  one of bitterness and poisonous berries. The question of our verse then arises? What more could the vineyard owner have done to grow good grapes rather than poisonous berries? This question is being asked by God, who is the vineyard owner and caretaker, over His vineyard, which was His people. God poured love, attention, and blessing into His people, hoping to find choice fruit coming from them. Yet instead all He got was “wild grapes,” poisonous, sinful fruit. In our story, what fruit is God getting from us? None can say that we have not been cared for well by Him. From safety, to community, to salvation, to the air in our lungs, God has cared well for us. If then all He is getting from us is wild grapes, that’s a problem. Look deeply as what produce is coming from your life, and ask if this would be pleasing to the Lord and useful for His glory. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2672

Chapter 6

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Isaiah 6:1 – This passage has some other things in it that I really wanted to talk about, but in the current situation our world is in I felt we needed reminded of what this first verse says. Our God is seated on the throne. High above all else. He’s not running around frantic and He’s not worried about tomorrow. He high above the chaos going on and the virus in this world of ours. We must remember this is the God we have placed our faith in. If you’ve trusted Him with the forever of your life once you die, let’s trust Him with taking care of us today as well. God’s not worried about all this and nor should we. We have a great God that loves us. He’s not going to leave us on our own. Side note, make sure that you are supporting those around you as well. If God is taking care of you, take care of those that you can. Remember some of your neighbors don’t yet know Jesus and they are navigating all this without Him. You could introduce them to Someone who could change everything for them right now. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1207

Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. Isaiah 6:2 – In a vision, Isaiah gets the blessing of seeing the throne room of Heaven. Within the chapter are so many pieces that I’d love to write about, even one of my favorite lines in scripture, “Here I am! Send me.” Studying though over this verse, I found a quote from Spurgeon that helped me understand the posture of these angels, and it helped me understand the posture I should take today in my service of the Lord. “Adoration must exceed activity.” The seraphim had six wings. Four were used to humbly covered their face and feet to conceal themselves so they would not look upon the glory of God. Only two though were used to fly, ready to serve the Lord and His call. In our life with God, we often can often find ourselves using more of our “wings” to serve and be active for Him, but the angels here have it right. More of ourselves ought to be given over to the humble adoration and worship of God than action for Him. Yes, we are to be the hands a feet of Jesus in this world, actively serving Him and spreading the gospel. Yet if we are not first and foremost finding ourselves in a posture of worship of our God, we have missed the mark. If then you were to look at your life with God over the past week, has it been filled more with activity for God or adoration of God? Let today be a day that is certainly used to serve our God, but let it first and primary be filled with a heart from us saying “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God Almighty.” I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2673

Chapter 7

If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all. Isaiah 7:9b – What’s happening here is the people of Judah are about to be attacked by some enemies. God is speaking into them to trust Him and trust that they will be fine even though the enemy will try to take them out. He says in verse 4 to, “Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint” because of these enemies. Our verse though reminds us if we aren’t steady in our trust and confidence in God, don’t expect to find the peace and joy in the struggle that He is promising you. If we aren’t running to Him in the struggle, know we aren’t going to find from somewhere else what only He gives. We can stay firm in the midst of all this craziness right now, having peace and joy through it all. We just need to be running to the right person, and only Him. Peace, joy, comfort, and a whole lot more of what you need right now is available, you just have to turn to Him who is offering it to you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1208

And say to him, ‘Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smoldering stumps of firebrands, at the fierce anger of Rezin and Syria and the son of Remaliah. Isaiah 7:4 – Ahaz was the king of Judah at this time, and as a result of his unfaithfulness to the Lord, we see Israel and Syria teaming up to attack Judah. Scripture says Ahaz, “shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind” when he received word of the oncoming attack. God is inviting Ahaz to trust Him and His power, for God saw Ahaz’s enemy far different than Ahaz did. Ahaz saw these two armies as an unstoppable force that would utterly destroy them, yet God saw them as a smoldering stump of wood that makes more smoke than it does fire. We too must understand that God sees our enemies and problems far different than we do. Our financial issues look far different to the God who owns everything. Our health issues look very different to the Creator of the human body. Our marriage problems look fixable to the God who has witnessed every marriage in all of time. It is difficult to see God and trust Him when the problems in life are so visible and powerful in our life, but this is where God is calling us to place our faith in Him. Yes, the enemy sees closer than God, and yes the problems seem too grand for anyone to fix, but neither are true statements. God is closer and God can fix. While the movements of God may be different than we pray for or think is the correct way for God to move, seek to trust in His ability and presence with you despite the abilities and presence of your enemies. I love you, but Jesus loves you more. – Mac – Daily DEVO 2674

Chapter 8

Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what they fear, nor be in dread. But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. Isaiah 8:12-13- Pretty timely passage huh? It’s easy to get caught up in the worry and confusion of this world. As a result we begin focusing on all the wrong things and forgetting we have a God bigger than the mess around us. There is no better time than right now to make sure that the voice you are listening to the most is God’s. Don’t allow the chorus of voices speaking about our world right now distract you from the truth God is bigger than all this. We have nothing to fear and that confidence allows us to be the givers of hope in the chaos. Don’t dread like the world dreads and don’t fear like the world fears. We have God with us, Immanuel, and we have the message that He wants to be with everyone else too that is crippled by fear right now. Don’t let fear hold you back from sharing God’s hope with people right now. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1209

I will wait for the Lord, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. Isaiah 8:17 – I love learning concepts about scripture that I never thought about before, and today was one of those days. Reading a commentary over this passage provoked me to think about the word “wait” differently than ever before. When I have heard “wait” used in scripture before, my understand has always related to stillness of activity, silence, and patience on the Lord. Which I do believe is still correct, yet what I learned today is that “wait” doesn’t mean just a passive inactivity. Think about a waiter who “waits” on your table. They are not being still, silent, or unresponsive. In fact, they are much the opposite of that. A good waiter will be always watching our table for whatever our need may be, and they will be immediately responsive to our call. Yes, sometimes in their efforts of waiting on our table there will be times where we aren’t calling on them and stillness from them is needed, but even in that they ought to still have their eyes on our table. We then are being called to wait upon the Lord. To have our eyes ever on His table. Whatever His command, whatever He asks of us, and whatever service we can provide for Him, we are ready to offer to Him. There may be times in our serving of the Lord where we need to be still and have a ceasing of activity, but our eyes ought to never be taken off of the One we are serving and His table. Let us then serve the Lord with honor, diligence, and maximum effort. For we have already received the “tip” of all time, the salvation of our soul and the promise of Heaven. God deserves a servant that is ever ready to wait upon Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2675

Chapter 9

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 – In the midst of their chaos and confusion, God sent Jesus to change things. Church, in this new season of our world we are in, we must remember Jesus has already come. He’s already brought peace. He’s already brought joy. He’s already brought salvation. These things we long for aren’t in the stage of eventually-they’ll-come. They are here because Jesus is here. So much has been taken away from us lately; our ability to gather as a large group, our normalcy, even our toilet paper. Yet Jesus remains. You’ll never find Him sold out of at Walmart, He’s not isolated to a church building that you can’t go to right now, and He even is safe still to embrace because He can’t get sick! All humor aside though, Jesus isn’t going anywhere and He’s right here to help you have what you need. We’ve been blessed with a Savior in our story, let Him save you from fear, confusion, and worry. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1210

…For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still. Isaiah 9:12b, 17b, 21b – When we find a phrase or verse repeated within a passage, it’s good to take note. Here this phrase is repeated three times in chapter 9 and once in chapter 10 verse 4. Within our chapter we get a glimpse at the stubbornness of the people of northern Israel. Their posture was one of pride, thinking they could withstand any sort of wrath of God that might come their way. That if God tears down, we’ll just rebuild with better stuff anyway. So God puts that pride to the test, and allows His anger and hand to be outstretched towards them. We see that despite His wrath, they continued in sin, causing God’s hand to be outstretched still bringing His wrath. Let us then remember in our own lives when we are experiencing the hand of God on our sinfulness, that His hand is on us not to destroy, but to guide us out of this sin. Sin is what destroys, and God’s heart is that none perish in their sin. He will use the might of His hand to open our eyes to the destructive nature of sin, and to provoke us to move away from sin and in a direction towards Him. If though, like this people in our passage, we remain in our pride and sinfulness, God’s hand, that is full of blessings, will be a hand of powerful judgment. While it’s not God’s desire, if we do not turn from our sin, He will allow us to be condemned by it. Let’s celebrate though that as a result of the events of Easter, we have a means in Jesus Christ to be free from the condemnation of sin. We can find freedom, life, and salvation from our sin all because of Jesus. Turn from your sin and begin a life of following Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2676

Chapter 10

In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. Isaiah 10:20 – What sort of things hurt us that we can find ourselves leaning on? Maybe the confidence we have in our own strength. How about the labels others have placed on us. Maybe our pride, our stubbornness, our addictions, or even wrong relationships. God’s intention in our passage today was to get His people to stop leaning on the things that were hurting them. We too need to be careful of what we are leaning on. Some of the things we think are giving us stability are actually the things causing the shakiness. Let’s go to God today and ask Him to open our eyes to what we’ve been leaning on that we shouldn’t have been. Let’s begin finding that stability in Him instead. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1211

Is not Calno like Carchemish? Is not Hamath like Arpad? Is not Samaria like Damascus? As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images? Isaiah 10:9-11 – Context here is important to make sense of all this! The above verses were said to be spoken by the enemy nation of Assyria when they were about to begin attacking God’s people in Jerusalem. The unique names like Calno and Arpad were cities that the Assyrian’s easily conquered. In each of those cities were false idols that the people worshipped and hoped in to saved them from the hand of the Assyrians, but those idols provided no help. After many cities, and idols, being defeated, Assyria is now coming after Jerusalem and Jerusalem’s “idol,” which was the Lord. If no other idol could stop them, why would this God of Jerusalem be able to do any different? As history reveals to us, Assyria learned well that God is not like any of the idols of these other nations. He has breath and power and knows how to use them to bring Him glory and fulfill His purposes. With us today though, have we learned that God is different like this? That God is different than the flaky, untrustworthy things of this world? That God is different than the selfish, only seeking their pleasure sorts of things in this world? That God is different than the wicked, cruel things of this world? As with the Assyrians, we can view God like we see so many people and things in this world, but God is not like them. He is holy, good, loving, trustworthy, powerful, and kind. If then the option is available for you to choose whether to follow after a loving God or some unfaithful thing of this world, which will you choose? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2677

Chapter 11

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder’s den. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain; for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11:6-9 – All this dramatic change in relationships and the absence of the fear of death is a result of Jesus being in charge. The message to them was that when the Messiah would come He would bring peace. For us, that peace is here available to us. Let’s make sure that were allowing Jesus to reign over our life and not just being an influence we run to every so often. What changes then in your story need to take place so that Jesus is in charge? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1212

And there will be a highway from Assyria for the remnant that remains of his people, as there was for Israel when they came up from the land of Egypt. Isaiah 11:16 – Here the prophet is speaking of a beautiful time in the future when the Messiah will come and reign on earth forever. We see language of peace between nations and no need of fear when it comes to predators. Another wondrous aspect of the reign of Christ will be the bringing together of His people that have dispersed among the nations. In verse 16 we see God declare there will be a highway for their return, like there was for Israel through the Red Sea in the exodus from Egypt. Imagine driving to a destination, and all that lay in front of you is a perfectly straight, perfectly clear highway with no speed limit. Nothing to hinder you from getting to your goal, and that’s the picture God is having for His people to Himself. He will make a way to Him like a straight, clear, no speed limit highway. While this is a prophecy looking ahead even still for us, today we are celebrating Good Friday, a day where Jesus did create such a highway between us and God. Because of His death and resurrection, we now can approach the Father in ways we never could before. If this is a path you’ve taken already, be sure to spend some time today thanking the Lord for the highway to the Father the cross created. If though you have not taken a step into a relationship with God, know today the highway is open for you, and the path has been created. Through Jesus you can have life, forgiveness of your sin, and the promise of Heaven. Reach out if you’d like to know more. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2678

Chapter 12

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. Isaiah 12:3 – Imagine this with me for a moment. Picture a well that is filled deeply with all the blessings that come with salvation. Things like forgiveness, love, grace, acceptance, support, and life. Then God joyously reaches down into this well and offers you a drink of what He pulled out. He offers it to you freely and it’s overflowing and refreshing. This is our reality in a life with Jesus. In Jesus we have all those things being poured out on us abundantly. And you know what else, God is joyous about offering all that to you. In this season where fear wants to take over and fill us with discouragement, know we have Jesus who has taken over and is filling our story with joy and peace. You just need to decide which you’ll open yourself up to be fill from, fear or Jesus. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1213

You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.² “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation.” ³ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴ And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth.⁶ Shout, and sing for joy, O inhabitant of Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 12:1-6 – Rarely do I use the entire chapter as the section we highlight for the devotion, but this passage was just too good all together. Chapter 11 is speaking about the wonderful reign of Jesus, now chapter 12 speaks from the heart of one of his followers who is enjoying the fruit of the reign of Jesus. This weekend for us is a special time for us to remember that our God reigns. God’s anger and wrath was turned away from us and onto the cross where Jesus hung. Now, fear no longer is our story, and we have salvation within our story because of our God. All the things we need in life we can draw like water from a well because of this salvation we have in Christ. Give thanks all you who follow Jesus, shout aloud His praise! Sing and shout for joy for our God reigns! Death has been defeated and our God reigns! Tomorrow as we enter into worship of our God on Easter morning, will He receive from you a half-hearted, apathetic, distracted worship or will He receive from you praise that understands the depth of sin you were saved from? Our God lives, let’s live a life of praise unto Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2679

Chapter 13

Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. Isaiah 13:9 – Pretty intense chapter huh? We see God’s viewpoint on sin clearly in our passage today. We also need to realize that God hasn’t changed in His feelings and attitude towards sin. He can’t stand sin and it has no place in His presence. Yet something we have in our story that the people in Isaiah didn’t have is Jesus. While God still today despises sin like He did in the days of Isaiah, His wrath was placed on the shoulders of Jesus when He hung on the cross. Jesus has already taken on Himself the weight of God’s wrath for the world’s sin. What we each need to do now is accept the life God is offering us. We don’t have to bear the punishment of our sin, but if we refuse Jesus that weight is on us. Hear today that with Jesus you have a way to find peace with God concerning your sin. If you haven’t found that peace know I’d love to talk with you about how to find it. If you have found that peace, make sure you praise God for that truth today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1214

The sound of a tumult is on the mountains as of a great multitude! The sound of an uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together! The Lord of hosts is mustering a host for battle. Isaiah 13:4 – Chapter 13 begins a string of prophecies against many different nations, and Babylon is the first to be spoken to. Yet what’s unique about this is that at the time Isaiah gave this prophecy, Assyria was still in power, and it would be decades before Babylon was even a superpower to be taken down. Yet God, in His infinite knowledge and wisdom, was able to accurately speak about the fall of an empire that wasn’t even in power yet. Our God is able to see the future and speak the truth about what will take place with our enemies. Today, on Easter, we get to celebrate that what our God spoke on about the end of sin’s power and the sting of death and the grip of Satan has come to fruition. God said He would send His only Son to die the death for all mankind, and that He would create a pathway to Himself so we don’t have to spend an eternity in Hell. God said that His Son would rise from the grave three days later showing His power over death and the grave, and making it clear He has the authority to give life to any and all. What we celebrate today is that what God said has taken place. Our Savior lives, and He reigns over all! The powers of darkness has been defeated and our God reigns! Praise our risen Savior for the promise of Heaven, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life! Happy Resurrection Sunday everyone! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2680

Chapter 14

This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is the hand that is stretched out over all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? Isaiah 14:26-27 – Here the purpose scripture was speaking of was the destruction of the nations that tore town God’s people. Nothing and no one was going to be able to stop God from accomplishing what He has set in motion. We must realize that the God that exists in our story, the one we pray to and have placed our faith in, is the same unstoppable God being spoken about here in Isaiah. What God has purposed, nothing can stop it. What’s He purposed then? That the whole world will one day bend a knee to Him and every tongue confess to God. All powers, all authorities, and every one of us will someday realize the ultimate power God has and nothing and no one can stop this from happening. God desires then you to be lent wholly to Him. Let’s step into today what will be the reality of our lives for eternity. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1215

For the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land, and sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob. Isaiah 14:1 – We’ve all been there before, where we visit a new restaurant and pick something out on the menu to have for dinner. Yet after you take your first few bites, you come to your conclusion, you’d never choose that option on the menu again. Maybe it was the taste, the texture, or something else, but while you did choose it once, you’d never choose it again. That way of thinking can sometimes find itself in the way we believe God feels about us. That while yes, He did choose us, if though He had the option to choose again, He wouldn’t choose us a second time. Because of our sin and because of our unfaithfulness, we’ve made ourselves a bad choice on the menu. Hear though what this passage is saying about God’s people even after they turned away from Him. He will again choose them. God chose us to begin with, but He would choose us again and again and again. Our sin doesn’t sway His passion for us, and our unfaithfulness doesn’t trash His desire for us. Our sin and unfaithfulness are certainly not pleasing to the Lord and are things He longs to be far from our life, but they don’t altar that way God desires a life with us. For while we were still sinners, still enemies of God, God sent Jesus to die on the cross and pave a way for us to have eternal life with the Father. Know today, God still chooses you. Even if yesterday, this past week, or even this past ten years has been full of rebellion towards the Lord, He still loves you and still desires your heart. The question then isn’t if God is saying yes to you, its will you say yes to Him? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2681

Chapter 15

An oracle concerning Moab. Because Ar of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone; because Kir of Moab is laid waste in a night, Moab is undone. Isaiah 15:1 – What stood out to me within this passage is the quickness of their undoing. That the city, and all they had been giving themselves over to, wasn’t going to last the night. How much is this like our situation where it seems like right now each day things change and daily more and more things we leaned on keep being removed. We can’t lean right now on on certain people or or the influence a sport position gives us or on our confidence of what tomorrow will be like. In such a short time those things and many others have been set aside as things we can lean on. We now have to find something, or Someone, to lean on that will always remain. Just know in the midst of all the craziness right now, God isn’t going anywhere in your story. In fact He’s bigger and over all the craziness. Just take that as something to hope in right now. When so many things are being taken away, God isn’t going anywhere. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1216

For the waters of Dibon are full of blood; for I will bring upon Dibon even more, a lion for those of Moab who escape, for the remnant of the land. Isaiah 15:9 – Isaiah’s prophecies now turn to the land of Moab, a nation with a complicated history with Israel. Beginning with familial connections with Abraham and Lot, Moab eventually turned to be an enemy of Israel. Now judgement is coming upon them and it’s heavy. The chapter speaks of the aftermath of the initial wave of judgment. People will be running to their idols, shaving their heads in mourning, and their weeping will be heard by the nations around them. The Moabites would run to escape the judgment, but everywhere they would turn they would only find more judgement coming their way. God was making it clear to the Moabites that escape from His wrath on their sin wasn’t an option. Something we too must understand is that escape from God’s wrath on our sin isn’t an option either. There is no speed we can run to escape it, nor can we be clever enough to outsmart God’s wrath. God’s wrath on our sin is a guarantee. Should we fear and tremble then knowing that our sin is going to be judged by God? Absolutely we should, unless we turn to Jesus and repent of our sin. For those who turn to Jesus and repent, Jesus Himself takes on the wrath of God’s judgment on our sin so we don’t have to. While there is no escape from the judgement on our sin, we have a Savior that will take the weight of that judgment on Himself instead. Which option then have you chosen? To take on God’s wrath on your sin yourself or will you follow Jesus and let Him bear the weight of God’s wrath on your sin for you? The invitation to a life of following Jesus is available to you freely today, make this choice to follow the Savior of the world. If you have already made this choice to follow Jesus, how are you living today that shows your gratitude for Jesus taking on the weight of God’s wrath for you? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2682

Chapter 16

And when Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself on the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail. Isaiah 16:12 – Make sure you pick up on this important piece of info, Moab didn’t weary himself going to the sanctuary of God, he wearied himself going to the temple of an idol. At the temple of an idol, where he thought he could find help because that’s who he had been giving himself over to, he found no help at all. Right now you too may be trying to run to things hoping they can help you make sense of what’s all going on and possibly help you in this season. But maybe your story is unfolding like Moab’s where you’ve gone to the place where you have given so much of your life to but come to find out when you really need help it doesn’t offer what you need. I want to share with you if that’s your story that God has what you need. He’s been waiting for you to realize that all along He’s been there and wanting to help you when you’re weary. And for those of us who already have made God our place we run to, let’s actually be running to Him in this new season we are all in. Let’s show the world that running to God changes things. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1217

Give counsel; grant justice; make your shade like night at the height of noon; shelter the outcasts; do not reveal the fugitive; let the outcasts of Moab sojourn among you; be a shelter to them from the destroyer. Isaiah 16:3-4a – The prophecy spoken by Isaiah is still against Moab, and connecting with the previous chapter, the Moabites are on the run from their oppressors. After studying, I’m finding out that it is divided on the meaning for our verses above. Either its Isaiah speaking to Judah to help the Moabite refugees, or it’s the Moabites requesting help from Judah during their escape. Either way though, this passage opens our eyes to what help being given to those in need could look like coming from us. We can give counsel, pointing them in the right direction towards Jesus. We can show justice and mercy. We can give shelter and be a shelter for those who need it. We can protect from the enemy and let them exist in our life as they find their footing. As we continue to follow Jesus, know we will be called upon to help those who are hurting and who are seeking to turn from their sin. They will have the enemy on their tail, trying to bring them back into his grasp, but we can be the hands and feet of Jesus in their story protecting them and helping them stand firm for Christ. God is the power and strength, but we can be the avenue He uses in their life to bless and provide. How then would you respond today if God called you to be the shade for a sinner seeking to turn to Him? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2683

Chapter 17

In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense. Isaiah 17:7-8 – I think it’s so cool that these passages that I scheduled out back in like December relate so well with what’s happening in our stories today. It’s like someone bigger than us planned it out! While our stories of course aren’t exactly like what’s happening in the passage, how often does the whole world at one time go together through a difficult season and all are searching for hope? All of us are having our eyes opened to the truth that what we’ve made in our life isn’t enough to help us get through this season. We all have to be looking to Someone bigger than all this. Thankfully, as with the people in Isaiah, we have a Maker that we can look to and His name is Jesus. Be sure today to be spreading the message that we have someone we can look to in this season. The voice of hope needs to be louder than voice of fear. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1218

For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge; therefore, though you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine-branch of a stranger Isaiah 17:10 – Isaiah now speaks against Syria and Israel. Due to their close proximity and united efforts to come against the southern kingdom of Judah, God lumps them together in this prophecy. In our verse, we see a major sin that is resulting in these two nations receiving God’s judgement. They forgot about the God of their salvation. They had welcomed His rescue from their previous times of struggle, yet their eyes and hearts did not remain on Him but turned to other things to worship and chase after. How often does this happen in our story? Where we in our past have turn to the Lord for help, possibly for a minor need in life, or even to save us from our sin. Our eyes were fixed on Him, our hearts were His, and our lives were being promised to be used for Him alone. Yet, life happened and things got busy, and that life that was given to God has been used for other things. By the way we talk and live, we’ve forgotten that we were the Lord’s to be used for the Lord. Know then this is something that God sees as a sinful action and something we ought to be cautious of not falling prey to. Let us not forget the God of our salvation. Let the busyness of life not blind us to Jesus. Let the ballgames, work projects, vacations, bills, medical issues, taxes, or TV shows be what consumes our life more than Jesus does. If any of those things created you, died on the cross for you, breathed new life into your lungs, is promising you eternal life in Heaven, and is the salvation for your soul, then you can worship it instead. Yet if the thing that consumes your life right now isn’t that, then look to Jesus who is all that. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2684

Chapter 18

All you inhabitants of the world, you who dwell on the earth, when a signal is raised on the mountains, look! When a trumpet is blown, hear! Isaiah 18:3 – What was happening in our chapter today was that God was announcing the punishment that was to come upon Egypt. Here God speaks the the rest of the world to see and hear what He’s about to do; to pay close attention to when God speaks and moves. While we aren’t today needing to sit and watch the coming punishment on Egypt, God is raising some signals and blowing some trumpets in our stories. Question is are you watching and listening to the ways God is moving and speaking. How do we do that? As with the people in our passage, keep your eyes open and ears attentive to God. Spend time with Him and be listening to what He has to say. If you are humbly seeking God and striving to be attentive to His voice you won’t miss what He’s trying time tell you and do within in your life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1219

At that time tribute will be brought to the Lord of hosts from a people tall and smooth, from a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the Lord of hosts. Isaiah 18:7 – Going into this chapter, I discovered a couple commentaries saying things like this is the “most difficult one of all 66 chapters,” and “most obscure prophies in the whole book.” Even who this prophecy is given to is debated, but it seems like most lean towards Ethiopia. What’s special though is how this chapter closes. This nation, Ethiopia or some other strong nation, will eventually come to the Lord. They will bring sacrifices to the Lord and worship Him. What a comfort that must have been to those listening to these words that were remaining faithful to God. That even the strongest of nations in their world at that time would find themselves bending the knee before the God they were trusting in. Let us remember this is our future too. Every knee will bow before our God. We can see some world powers in our day that seem so strong and so opposing to the Lord, that it doesn’t even seem possible that they would submit to Jesus. Yet we can trust the words of scripture that it is our God who reigns on high, not any worldly power. He will have the final word and He will receive all the glory. Know today that if you have placed your faith in Jesus and are choosing to serve Him faithfully within your life, you have made the correct eternal choice. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2685

Chapter 19

There will be bare places by the Nile, on the brink of the Nile, and all that is sown by the Nile will be parched, will be driven away, and will be no more. Isaiah 19:7 – Now for us, if the local river around you were to dry up, it most likely wouldn’t rock your way of existing and strip away your identity. Yet, that was the case for the Egyptians here. Even for those who don’t know much about the Bible, they know the Nile and Egypt go together. Here we have God saying what they have found their identity and security in outside of Him would no longer be there for them. If then we were to check our own lives would there be anything that we find more of our identity in than from God? Maybe in the new season we’re all in we’re seeing that some things like job titles, money, or talents that we find our identity in aren’t enough now. Let’s learn in this season the only thing that remains constant when the rest of the world gets shaken up is God. He’ll never dry up or never be driven away. When we lean on Him and find our identity in Him, we too then can stay steady when everything else is shaky. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1220

In that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, ²⁵ whom the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my inheritance.” Isaiah 19:24-25 – God’s message through Isaiah is now for Egypt. It begins with a not so pleasant message for the Egyptians, one in which they will truly feel the powerlessness of their many idols and the powerfulness of the one true God. What’s special though is the future message for Egypt. God calls them His people. God brings them together with Assyria and Israel and calls them His own. Which is an astonishing message if you break it down. Egypt was a nation that was idolatrous and cruel for thousands of years, and even put Israel under harsh slavery for hundreds of years. Assyria was a superpower and was known for their uniquely high level of brutality, beyond that of other nations of war at that time. These two, alongside Israel, were being labeled His people, the work of God’s hands, and His inheritance. Maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to determine who God would want as His people. We too could look at people, groups, or nations in our world and determine in our minds that God wouldn’t want anything to do with someone like them. God wouldn’t want that sinful leader…God wouldn’t want THAT nation to be His people…God doesn’t want THEM to be in His family. Except when we see the message of Scripture, we sure see God reaching out and chasing after the ones no one expected Him too. Praise Jesus that we have a Savior who doesn’t listen to us on who to save. If then God would be willing to offer them His salvation, grace, life, and acceptance into His family, why would we be so quick to discount them from such an offer? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2686

Chapter 20

…at that time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and loose the sackcloth from your waist and take off your sandals from your feet,” and he did so, walking naked and barefoot. Then the Lord said, “As my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Cush.. Isaiah 20:2-3 – Wow, am I right? If anyone ever says God will never place us in uncomfortable situations or won’t leave us in them for long, introduce them to these couple verses. What’s craziest though to me is that yes Isaiah walked naked for three years, but why? As a sign for someone else! It wasn’t like it was to teach Isaiah something, he was being used and put through all that so others would learn something. This is a lesson we as disciples need to understand. Sometimes we’ll find ourselves in struggles or uncomfortable situations for the sake of someone else’s growth in Christ, not just for ours. Of course we grow in those times too, but God can and will use you to help others grow and that may mean placing you in uncomfortable seasons. This is when we better really latch onto the mission. We are here to help people know about Jesus and His love for them. Let us then be fully open to whatever God may ask of us that could help someone know Him more. Don’t worry though, I highly doubt He’s asking any of us to do what He asked Isaiah! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1221

And the inhabitants of this coastland will say in that day, ‘Behold, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?’ Isaiah 20:6 – God, through Isaiah, and through a very unique visual sermon example, made it clear to His people Judah that trusting in anything other than Him was a lost cause. Egypt and Cush were strong nations that in the midst of the Assyrian invasion Judah would look to for strength and rescue. Rather than turning to the Lord, who had demonstrated His power to them in mighty ways in their past, they would look for help from their surrounding nations. What though does God say will come about when these other “strong” nations come against Assyria? The would be taken captive and carried into exile naked and barefoot. Seeing the ones you were trusting in for rescue being treated as such would strip away any boldness and confidence you had against you enemy. If the enemy could do that to such a strong nation, what hope of escape do we have? Such is the reason we must place our hope in a strength stronger than anything of this world. We need someone to lean on and trust in that no power in their world can defeat. That someone is Jesus. No army can take Him down, no devil can hold Him down, and no death can defeat Him. When we trust in Jesus, our confidence will never be put to shame. Trust in the one that truly has the power over all. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2687

Chapter 21

“And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” Isaiah 21:9 – God beat the enemy of His people. Babylon was an overwhelming force in the world of God’s people. They thought things would never change for their own power couldn’t do anything to bring about that change. God though took care of the enemy of His people. Today, we are God’s people and our God is still able to beat the overwhelming enemy in our story. Whether that be the virus, our attachment to our sins, or the devil, what’s overwhelming to us is something God can beat. Trust God’s bigger than all this. Be like the watchman in our passage today, waiting and watching expectantly for the provision of God. God is going to beat your enemy for the victory is already His. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1222

And behold, here come riders, horsemen in pairs!” And he answered, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” Isaiah 21:9 – What we see here is once again a prophecy that speaks of events that would happen in the near future but also looking ahead and speaking of events in the end times. Babylon is a term used all throughout scripture to refer to the sinful world. It is term used when God is speaking of the spiritual darkness in the world and the powers of Satan. While Babylon the empire fell in history, we also see the spiritual Babylon have its demise promised in scripture. Satan, his forces, and all his plans will crumble and fall. God’s power will put an end to our enemy and shatter him to the ground. While it certainly can appear that the enemy and the sinful world around us is victorious, the victories are temporary. When God shows up on the scene, the battles will be done and the war will be won. Victory is always in the hands of our God and defeat will always be the future for Satan. So do not fear and do not be dismayed, for the Lord you God is with you wherever you go. The enemy you see today will not win forever, for the Lord will fight for you. Praise Jesus we have a God as mighty as we do. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2688

Chapter 22

…and you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many. You collected the waters of the lower pool, and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago. Isaiah 22:9-11 – Notice that last sentence, you didn’t look to him who did it or planned it long ago. Here we have people when confronted with pain and struggle running to everything else but God and doing everything else but what God wanted them to do. How does that relate to your story right now in the virus season? We’re faced with a struggle none of us have seen before, yet where are you going to seek peace and help from? What are you doing in this time? What brings you pleasure or God? This chapter gives us a firsthand look at what running to anything other than God offers us in our time of need; emptiness, loss of hope, and no help. Take note of all this and in this season we are all in right now be sure to be running to the One who has provided for us since the beginning and has planned your story out since then too. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1223

In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, ²¹ and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. ²² And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. Isaiah 22:20-22 – Isaiah is speaking against the leadership in Jerusalem. King Hezekiah was a faithful king, so this prophecy is directed to the unfaithful chief servant of the king, Shebna. While clothed in wealth and security, all that was to be taken away from Shebna due to unfaithfulness to the Lord and given to the faithful to the Lord servant Eliakim instead. As we read on in the chapter we also see the promise that any who followed Shebna, who “hung on the peg” that was Shebna, would also fall with him. As we then walk today, we must be sure to hang on the right peg. In Isaiah’s day, if something in the house was hung on a peg in the wall, it was thought to be safe and secure. What then are you hanging on today that is giving you safety and security? Is it Jesus? Or is it something else within this world? Know that if the “peg” you are hanging on in life is anything but Jesus, like Shebna it be removed and all that was hanging on it will fall with it. Be careful then what you hang your life on today, and know there is a safe peg that is Jesus that will never be removed and can provide safety and security for your life for eternity. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2689

Chapter 23

Her merchandise and her wages will be holy to the Lord. It will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who dwell before the Lord. Isaiah 23:18 – What we see happening here is that once God would restore Tyre back to its glory the people would repent and give God their offerings instead of giving their abundance to false gods. Maybe then you are thinking, “Well if I ever was rich, and if then God ever humbled me, and if then God ever restored me after that, then of course I would give Him my riches like this.” Sure that’s one literal way of taking this passage, but maybe you’ll never find yourself rich, then humbled, then restored, then faced with what to do now with your wealth. What about asking the question of what are you doing with the things you do have? How about what are you doing with this extra time now since you’re stuck at home? How about what are you doing with the growing fear inside you about all that’s going on? How about what are you doing for the church family you still have and someday hopefully soon will see them again like normal? Let this passage today be a check for us as to if the things in our life would be considered being used in a Holy way that’s honoring to God. Maybe wealth isn’t something you have, but you do have an abundance all around you of things God has blessed you with. Use then those things for His glory. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1224

Who has purposed this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honored of the earth? The Lord of hosts has purposed it, to defile the pompous pride of all glory, to dishonor all the honored of the earth. Isaiah 23:8-9 – Isaiah is now directing his prophecies towards Tyre. Tyre was a harbor city that was extremely important for shipping trade in that time. Because it was such a hub for trade, Tyre became a massively wealthy city. Merchants were considered princes and leaders, traders were considered honored in their midst. This fed into a deep sin for the people of Trye, pride. With more and more wealth coming their way, and more eyes looking to them as they grew successful, “pompous pride” grew. From Isaiah though we hear of a coming destruction of Tyre, of all this wealth being gone and the glory being stripped from Tyre. Who was the one to do such a thing? Who purposed this to happen? Who defiled such pride? It was the Lord. Our God will defile what defiles. For sin in our life defiles us, it makes us unclean and unholy. Yet God, when His righteousness comes into the mix, takes what defiles, and defiles it’s efforts. Know whether it’s pride like we see in our passage, or some other sin, God’s command is for us to live apart from such sin. He has spoken of sin’s defiling nature in our life, so Jesus came to defile the efforts of sin. While the enemy’s ultimate goal with sin of our eternal death has been forever “defiled,” let us not continue in the sin our Savior has defeated. Let us live holy and humbly before the Lord, and let us instead be tools God uses to defile the efforts of our enemy in our brother’s life. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2690

Chapter 24

And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. Isaiah 24:2 – Doesn’t this verse match up so well when we think of who is being effected by this virus? All people from all ways of life and all places are being somehow touched by this virus. No one is left on the outside of all this and no one is completely escaping it’s reach. Thing is though, this verse isn’t taking about the coronavirus, it’s talking about the wrath of God on sin. This passage reminds us that no one is left on the outside of His wrath and no one can escape it. No earthly label or title will keep you from having your sin come under God’s wrath. The only way is to ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and offer you the grace that only He can give. Without Jesus there is no chance of escaping the wrath of God, but with Jesus He’ll take that punishment on His shoulders so you can walk holy and blameless with God. We’ve been given a way to have our sin taken care of and that way is Jesus. Make sure whoever needs to hear that truth hears it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1225

The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. Isaiah 24:5 – We are seeing the whole of the earth being under God’s judgement. Rejoicing will cease, cities will be desolate, and the earth will be broken apart. Even our verse says the earth “lies defiled.” Yet what has defiled the earth? Are the judgements of God defiling it? No, it is the sinfulness of man. Man has transgressed the law, taken God’s established law and purposefully went beyond the boundary line. Man has violated the statutes, taken God’s word and changed it to be more appealing to him. Man has broken the everlasting covenant, taken the forever agreement between us and God to remain faithful to one another and broke it to chase after other things. The terror we see in our world today is a result of our choice of sin, and God has allowed such things to take place as a judgement on such sinfulness. Know today when we see the terrors in our world, it can be our eye-opening experience to our need to turn and live faithfully for our God. We all need to recognize the defiling nature of our sin, the destructive nature of our unfaithfulness to God, and the restoration our God can bring when we follow Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2691

Chapter 25

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. Isaiah 25:1 – He will praise God not as a way to force God into bringing about a new blessing, but for the things God had already done. In seasons like we are all in, it’s tempting to begin looking at God like a vending machine. If I prayer more, read my Bible more, watch church online more, etc., then God will fix things in my world. Isaiah though is saying I’m going to devote myself and give praise to God for what He already has done my my story, not to get Him to do something new. Yes, talk with God about your situation and for sure feel free to ask Him to bring about the changes you need. Be careful though to not let your devotional life with God be solely to get something out of Him. Devote yourself to God because He has already done wonderful things in your story and you have confidence He can do more of those in our world today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1226

It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.” Isaiah 25:9 – As we read through Isaiah, know that we are seeing a mix of prophecies. Some that are for events that would have been in the near future for Isaiah (but past events for us in 2024), and some events that are still to come in the last days. Here we see the prophet speaking of what is to come in the future when God establishes His Kingdom once and for all. Sin will be no more, death will be no more, the enemy will be no more, and rejoicing will be on the lips of the faithful. Our passage then is intended to be what will come from the mouths of those that have faithfully served and followed the Lord. They will see God, the very one they waited for to save them will show up to save. Gladness and rejoicing will be on their lips for the God they proclaimed would come has come. Whether it is the future coming of our God and the victory He’ll bring in the end of days, or the current victories that God is providing today, or the past victories that God has won, our God has earned our praise. Our God has came for us and our God will come again for us. Our God has defeated death and our God will establish His throne over all one day. Let us then rejoice and give praise to our God, for He is worthy of all praise. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2692

Chapter 26

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:3-4 – Kept in perfect peace. That sounds pretty awesome doesn’t it right about now? Be sure though to know this passage is offering not just a fact that perfect peace is a thing but that’s it’s available to us. When we settle our mind on God and dwell there instead of dwelling on all the other craziness we could be dwelling on, we can find that peace we need. Because Jesus is our peace. I know right now it’s far too easy to let everything else but God have the focus of our mind, yet right now more than ever we need to seek to keep our mind on Him instead. We need this peace and we need to know where to direct others who need it too. Take this time where some of the normal distractions aren’t around to seek to have your mind staying on Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1227

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Isaiah 26:4 – Tomorrow morning I’ll be getting the blessing of preaching on the story of Simon the magician in Acts 8. In the beginning of the passage we are told how the people who witnessed Simon’s acts not only were amazed, but consider he was the power of God…Acts 8:10 – They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” Note they didn’t think he did things BY the power of God, but said that Simon IS the power of God. In our Isaiah passage we learn that it is the Lord God who is power. In the original language it ought to be read that God is the everlasting strength. The rock. The power. No other thing on earth is the power and strength of our God outside of Himself. It is him alone that can keep you into perfect peace. It is Him alone that can lay flat the enemies of this world. It is Him alone that can bring blessing to the righteous while bringing judgment on the sinful. Our world does a great job of lifting high many other sources of strength you could place your hope and trust in. All though will fail and all will crumble, especially when our God who is the everlasting strength, rock, and power steps onto the scene. Choose today who you will keep your mind stayed on. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2693

Chapter 27

Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin: when he makes all the stones of the altars like chalkstones crushed to pieces, no Asherim or incense altars will remain standing. Isaiah 27:9 – Be sure you know this time of quarantine is not a pass from God to stay in your sin a little longer. Maybe in your story God has been working on certain parts of your life helping you remove them. Yet now that all this has happened in our world we think we can entertain those things for a little longer to help us get through. Maybe He’s been working on you not worrying so much and you tell yourself this is the type of stuff that’s fine to worry about. Maybe you struggle with sin that happens when no one is around and you tell yourself literally no one is around so I can do it as much as I want. We can justify a lot so we can stay in our sin, but don’t use this virus as an excuse for you to stay messing with these sins. More than ever we need to be working on freeing ourselves from the things that hold us back from God. We need a stronger focus on Him and those around us we’re called to help need us focusing on Him more. Let go of what God has called you to let go of. This season we’re all in now is not an excuse to continue in our sin, it’s a wake up call that our sin needs to stop. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1228

In that day the Lord with his hard and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will slay the dragon that is in the sea. Isaiah 27:1 – I must note up front that there are a few different ways people like to explain this passage, but the one I personally see as the meaning is this is speaking of Satan. A twisting serpent that is fleeing the hand of the Lord and His mighty sword sure seems to be describing our common enemy. I know personally I need passages like this one to remind me who is truly in charge. For the enemy talks a big game, and often can carry out some pretty nasty hits on our life too. After our study of Job, it’s clear that the enemy when allowed can wreak havoc on our lives. Yet, who has ultimate control? Who does the enemy ultimately get defeated by? Whose mighty hand and sword slays Satan? Our God’s. Yes, we have a loud, active, and smart enemy that is very creative at instilling fear and doubt within us. Remember though we have a God that is greater than our enemy. A God that has defeated and will slay the enemy one day. Move forward then in confidence knowing that while the enemy is coming, the Lord has already come. He will defend, He will protect, and He will save. That’s the God we serve. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2694

Chapter 28

These also reel with wine and stagger with strong drink; the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink, they are swallowed by wine, they stagger with strong drink, they reel in vision, they stumble in giving judgment. Isaiah 28:7 – Those who were called to give guidance and help were consumed with their own sin, distracting them from giving good help. Something that has been heavy on my heart for the past couple days is the importance of us staying steady in our walk with God in this season. Yes, because we need it, but also because others will need it. See once this season is over, I believe we’ll see some of our church family who really struggled to stay strong in their walk during this time. We need to be ready for that time to step in and help them. If though we are allowing ourselves to entertain sin in this season, we’ll be like the priests here who were unable to help and guide the people they were called to. Stay steady in your walk not only for your sake but for the sake of those you’ll be helping once this is all over. Let’s be the ones offering a hand of help rather than the ones having to take one. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1229

…therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’ And I will make justice the line, and righteousness the plumb line; and hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and waters will overwhelm the shelter.” Isaiah 28:16-17 – Our chapter today is speaking to God’s people in both the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel. God is addressing their sin, one of which was drunkenness. Apparently this was such a problem for the people that it had found its way into the lives of the leaders, priests, decisions makers, and prophets. Wine had clouded their minds and led them astray. The messages of the Lord to them were too simple for their great minds and they had instead trusted in lies and death to be their shelter. Here though God reminds them that He is the sure foundation to trust in. He will bring justice to those who reject His message. All the refuge of lies and shelters of death won’t be able to stop His wrath from coming their way. Today, we too can find ourselves dismissing the truth of God and placing our trust in wrong shelters. We can trust our good deeds to save us, we can trust our church attendance to save us, we can trust that our grandma’s faith and prayers over us will save us. We can trust some other gods of the world to save us, or we could trust in something like worldly power to save us. Yet God’s word teaches us that if our lives aren’t trusting in the precious cornerstone that is Jesus Christ as our foundation and shelter, all other shelters in lives will crumble and not be able to save. Be sure you are finding shelter in Jesus and under nothing other than Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2695

Chapter 29

But the multitude of your foreign foes shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the ruthless like passing chaff. And in an instant, suddenly, you will be visited by the Lord of hosts with thunder and with earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire. And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, all that fight against her and her stronghold and distress her, shall be like a dream, a vision of the night. Isaiah 29:5-7 – Let me explain what that said. It’s speaking of a massive enemy that is coming against God’s people, yet as in an instant, or like an awaking from a dream, the thing that was causing panic for God’s people will be no more because God Himself took care of them. God’s promised to take care of us now as well. How that provision comes most likely will look different than we expect it to, but it will come all the same. Trust that as God took care of His people back in our passage He can take care of our enemy today too. Remind yourself as well what this weekend is in remembrance of. Where Jesus conquered sin and death in a instant to offer us life. God saves His people, and if you’ve placed your faith in Jesus, remind yourself that you’re one of God’s people. If you haven’t yet placed your faith in Him, I’d love to share with you on how you can! I love you, but Jesus loves more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1230

In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 29:18-19 – Our chapter is speaking to God’s people in Jerusalem who have allowed their pride to cause them to be spiritually drunk. They can’t see the Lord like they need to, they can’t understand His word like they need to, and they are brought low as dust. In their eyes, they are high and lifted up, understanding everything and seeing everything. Yet God is showing their pride to be foolishness, and they will soon see just how little they understand. What though would be the end result of God’s humbling of His people? The ones who couldn’t hear or understand His word would hear and understand. The ones that were blinded and couldn’t see Him would see Him. The poor and humble would find fresh, new joy in the Lord. We must remember the end goal of God as we read through books like Isaiah. This is not God finally getting His chance to squash people, this is God seeking to shepherd His people back into a life with Him. Yet when people are so far off track, saying things of God like, “He did not make me,” and, “He has no understanding,” then we are going to see the rougher side of shepherding. The goal though is for His flock to be in His pasture under His care. To hear His voice clearly and understand it. To see the Shepherd and feel His watchful presence over us. To find joy by the still waters and green pasture our Good Shepherd leads us by. Praise Jesus we have a Shepherd like Him in our story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2696

Chapter 30

For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” Isaiah 30:19-21 – This passage reminds us that we are not unseen by God and God is not unseen by us. He hears us when we cry out and offers us the life and direction we need. Easter is the celebration of the moment in history when God proved to the world that He sees us, loves us, and wants us. He has not hidden Himself or His love from us but showed us how deep His love is for us on the cross. Remember today you have a God who deeply cares and loves you. He’s offering you a life of walking with Him where He’s guiding you and offering you all that you need. Take hold of all that He offers and enjoy the life He gives. Happy Easter! I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac- Daily DEVO 1231

For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord; who say to the seers, “Do not see,” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 30:9-11 – Context for the passage, Isaiah is speaking to Judah who is seeing Assyria wipe out the Northern Kingdom of Israel. They are fearful of being next on the battle path, so instead of turning to God for help, they turn to Egypt for salvation. God is seeking to open their eyes to the truth that Egypt can’t save them, only He can, but this is their response. “Don’t tell us the truth, share with us the words we want to hear! If God doesn’t approve of the way we want to go, then we don’t want to hear about God anymore!” While we don’t have Assyria on a war path coming for us, how often do we see language like this coming from our world today? That instead of hearing the truth, we just want smooth talk that sounds pleasing to our ears and affirms the way we want to go in life. Also, if the words of God’s truth are different than the words of “my truth” then I don’t want to hear from God anymore. Let us be wiser than the people in our passage who disregarded the truths of God for their own. Scripture does a great job at blessing us with examples of what takes place in the lives of those who set aside God’s truths for their own, and it’s never pretty. Position yourself in ways to hear God’s word, to take it in, and be willing to follow it regardless of how it contradicts your “truth.” This is the only path to real joy, peace, and blessing in life and God’s longs for all that and more to be in your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2697

Chapter 31

The Egyptians are man, and not God, and their horses are flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand, the helper will stumble, and he who is helped will fall, and they will all perish together. Isaiah 31:3 – Be sure the thing you lean on can’t stumble and fall for when it does, you’ll fall with it. Imagine picking up a walking stick for a hike but a few steps in as you are leaning heavily on it, it breaks in the middle. What you thought would keep you standing didn’t. It’s so easy to lean on things right now that aren’t of God. And what’s scary is that for a while, they can appear steady and firm giving us the support we need. Yet everything that’s not God has the ability to break like the walking stick did. Make sure the thing you are leaning heavily on for support in this season is God. He won’t break. Lean on Him and the blessings He has put into your story. You don’t have to fear stumbling when you trust in Him which allows you to move forward fearlessly even in a season where fear is everywhere. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1232

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the Lord! Isaiah 31:1 – Feeding off the words of the previous chapter, we see Isaiah continuing to speak to those of God’s people turning to the Egyptians for rescue from the terror of the Assyrian army. Now why were they turning to Egypt? Our verse tells us, because their chariots are many and their horsemen are very strong. From a worldly vantage point, Egypt looked to be a powerhouse, someone that would be good trust in. Apparently though Judah couldn’t find any reasons why God would be safe to trust in. Yet, if they even looked throughout their past even for a moment, they would be flooded with examples of when God demonstrated His awesome power and strength. We too have in front of us nowadays examples of “chariots and horsemen” that are boasting of their ability and might to take care of us. Money, success, people, self. Our choice today is exactly the choice of the people of God in our passage…who will you choose to trust in today for your rescue? Let our answer by that of the psalmist…Psalm 20:7 – Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. – I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2698

Chapter 32

Happy are you who sow beside all waters, who let the feet of the ox and the donkey range free. Isaiah 32:20 – When we pour ourselves into the work God has for us is when we find the joy and blessing we’ve been searching for. Our chapter speaks of the complacently of the people and the end result of not seeing the harvest of blessing they were seeking after. Today, let’s lean more into the work God has set in front of us. That work is to love the people around us and tell them about Jesus’ love for them. Show compassion to the people in your home, be patient with the employees at places like Walmart, and speak of the power of God rather than the fear that the enemy brings. Dig deep into the work that God has for you; there you will find the joy you’re seeking after. You still have the purpose of loving God and loving others to be completing in this quarantine season. Keep stepping into it. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1233

Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land. Isaiah 32:1-2 – This prophecy likely had a duel meaning when it came to this king that would come to power. First it likely meant Hezekiah, and the peace he would bring. Hezekiah was a solid, faithful to God king. Under his reign the people found peace, prosperity, and protection from enemy nations. This was a good season for the people of God. We are to take note of the blessing that was over God’s people when the earthly king Hezekiah was in power and acknowledge how far greater life is under the reign of King Jesus. The peace, prosperity, and protection a faithful, earthly king can give is nothing in comparison to what King Jesus can offer us. Jesus is our hiding place and shelter in the storm. He is our living water and rock that we can lean on. Know today you have a King in Jesus that is powerful and can provide all you need. If you serve this King already, turn your eyes to Him today for your help. If you don’t know Jesus yet, know you are welcome into His kingdom and family. Reach out if you would like to know more on how to be a part of the family of God. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2699

Chapter 33

…and he will be the stability of your times, abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure. Isaiah 33:6 – I needed to hear that first phrase of this passage today. God will be the stability in our times. So many things seem shaky and uncertain anymore and as a result fear and discouragement wants to take a hold of our focus. Here though God is saying in the midst of all that is happening and all that will come, He be the solid ground we need and the salvation we need. Make sure you are leaning on Him in this season. Also, be all the more in this season letting other people know God can bring stability to the uncertainty in their life right now. You need that truth, I need that truth, and those who don’t know Him today desperately need that truth. Let someone today know that while the world may be shaky, God isn’t. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac  – Daily DEVO 1234

And no inhabitant will say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell there will be forgiven their iniquity. Isaiah 33:24 – The looming threat of the Assyrian army was on the horizon. While not at their doorstep yet, Judah would soon see them and hear of how they have conquered nation after nation before them. The Lord though is speaking promise and blessing to them if they were to look to Him, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, for their deliverance. He speaks of how He will save and make small the enemy that boasts of such greatness. He will keep His people unmoved and safe, and in this last verse God even promises a blessing beyond this. Their sins will be forgiven. While in the people of Judah’s mind all they needed was rescue from the enemy, God knew what they truly needed beyond that. They needed a forgiveness of their sin, and He made the way for this too. Today know God has seen beyond in our life too. He is aware of the needs we are bringing to Him. He sees the finance and family struggles. He knows the diagnosis. He knows the hurt. God in His goodness is speaking today through His word assuring you these things are on His mind and His hands are working, but beyond all those things God has also provided for your sin to be forgiven. The mess in your life bigger than any diagnosis or money problem is your sin. But God, being rich in mercy and love, has provided for us to have the biggest need in our life taken care of already through Jesus. If He can forgive sin and defeat death, know He can provide for the need that is on your heart today. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2700

Chapter 34

Their slain shall be cast out, and the stench of their corpses shall rise; the mountains shall flow with their blood. All the host of heaven shall rot away, and the skies roll up like a scroll. All their host shall fall, as leaves fall from the vine, like leaves falling from the fig tree. Isaiah 34:3-4 – I know, not the most uplifting passage today, but I felt we needed to unpack this. This is simply the result of God withholding His blessing and protection. Without God there is nothing good. Just understand this is the type of future ahead for those who don’t let Jesus forgive them of their sin. God doesn’t want any to have to feel the brunt of His wrath, which is why He sent Jesus to do all that He did. Let’s have a heart that longs for no one to feel that wrath of life without God. Live a witness everywhere you go, pray for opportunities to talk about Jesus with others, and when the time comes share all that you can about the life and love of Jesus with whoever you can. God made His love available to all and all that remains is someone to share it with them. That’s where you come in. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1235

Seek and read from the book of the Lord: Not one of these shall be missing; none shall be without her mate. For the mouth of the Lord has commanded, and his Spirit has gathered them. Isaiah 34:16 – Isaiah here speaks a unique message to his listeners and readers. He challenges them to take up these scrolls and see how what he has been given from the Lord has already begun coming true. To take up the scrolls after the coming events, and compare the words on the scroll to the events that took place, and all would see these were accurate words of the Lord. For us today centuries beyond Isaiah, we have the blessing of being able to seek and read from the book of the Lord like Isaiah challenged us to. We can see how accurate the prophecies were and how they were fulfilled each time. If then the words were fulfilled so accurately about the events to take place in Isaiah’s time, we should then believe the words will also be fulfilled accurately about the event to place in the end times. When we think about Jesus’ return, the coming judgment on the world, and the new life for those who follow Him, we ought to live in an expectancy for such things to take place. That means we live with a boldness and confidence when the enemy begins to attack for we know his defeat told to us in scripture will be true. This also means we live with a passion for the Gospel for we don’t want anyone to taste the troubles to comes for all that don’t know Jesus. While not a new thought, let’s lean into together today…If Jesus returned today, how would you want to be living for Him? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2701

Chapter 35

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; Isaiah 35:1 – God can make the parched land bloom. Maybe in this season you can relate to the wilderness and dry land here. You feel as if this season is draining you dry of joy, peace, and hope. Fear keeps seeming to have victory when you try to focus on other things and discouragement is like a looming cloud. Maybe it’s not that dark for you, or maybe it’s worse. What we see within this passage is that God can take places like that where are dry and thirsty and can create beautiful blooms and life out of them. Keep leaning into Him during this time; He truly is the only thing that can offer us the refreshment we need. Find time with Him and wait on the Lord. He won’t let those who wait upon Him to run dry. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1236

And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. Isaiah 35:8 – Here we are reading about the beautiful result that God will bring beyond the judgement of those oppressing His people and those who have chosen sin over Him. He speaks of creating a highway, a path above the rugged terrain that is designated only for those who are holy. It will be a way for the holy to approach the Father. No one in there sin can be on this path, and no enemy will snatch us from it either. Know for us today this Way of Holiness is Jesus. He is our way, truth, and life. Through Him we have access to the Father, and no one in their sin can approach the holiness of God. But with Jesus, the path is clear and the way is straight to the Father. The question is would you be allowed on this way of holiness? What would be your answer if asked why you should be allowed to be on it? Because you’re a good person? Because you’ve gone to church your whole life? Neither will cut it. Only through the saving love and grace of Jesus can we find ourselves on the holy path to Heaven. Be sure you know this Savior who has made it possible for you to be with God the Father. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2702

Chapter 36

Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah: “Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria!” Isaiah 36:13 – Fear speaks in ways we understand while God often works in ways we don’t understand. This is where trust comes in. Fear is going to be so plain to your eyes there won’t be any missing it, yet how God is moving and working can be so behind the scenes that we mistake it for an absence of Him in our story. Trust He’s working even when you don’t see it. Trust He knows what He’s doing even when you don’t. In those seasons where fear is in your face remember God is closer than fear can ever be in your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1237

And the king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. And he stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Washer’s Field. Isaiah 36:2 – Finally the words of Isaiah to Judah are taking place. The Assyrian king sent his Rabshakeh, a trusted servant, to proclaim to Judah how pitiful trusting in Egypt or God would be when his king came to attack them. We see from our passage that the enemy came and stood by the upper pool, one of the main water sources for the city, to proclaim this speech. This was a strategic move. The enemy was making it clear that he was able to easily go through their defenses, come right up to a main water supply, and not even be tripped up at all. If they couldn’t stop him from walking right up to a vital part of their city like this, then they couldn’t stop the enemy army when they came. Know our enemy will play this game too. He’ll move strategically and use those moves to convince you he’s unstoppable in your life. “See how I got you to trip up in that again?” “See how I was able to influence your friend into sin? You have no chance against me!” Our enemy will use every trick in his dusty old book to foster a belief in your heart that he can’t be stopped. But he easily can be stopped by our Savior. Yes, he may be able to come past our guard and stand by our upper pool, but he can’t defeat our God. Trust in the Lord in the power of His might and see the salvation of the Lord on the day the enemy begins his approach. God always wins. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2703

Chapter 37

As soon as King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord. Isaiah 37:1 – The king was faced with an enemy far too large for him to handle on his own. This enemy had destroyed every land it had came across up till now and this enemy knew that too. Yet the king made the wisest and most strategic move anyone can make when faced with a situation like this. He went to God first. We see the king each time he gets a disturbing message from the enemy turn to be with and to talk with God. As we see in the passage this move is what saves the king and his people. This move will save us as well. Whether we’re talking about the virus, some personal issue we are having, or some hardship that’s to come in the future, the wisest and most strategic way to defeat our enemy is turning to God for help first. Let today be a day where we turn together to the Lord and request the victory only He can give. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1238

Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Because you have prayed to me concerning Sennacherib king of Assyria…“ Isaiah 37:21 – The king of Judah, Hezekiah, has heard the enemy’s message of destruction that was promised to come his way. Terrified and aware his own power would never be enough to stand against such an enemy, Hezekiah brings this whole situation to the Lord in prayer. We also see the end result within this chapter of God rescuing His people and destroying their enemy in a mighty way. Take note though of God’s response to Hezekiah. “Because you have prayed to me.” All that took place, the rescue of God’s people and the destruction of the enemy, took place because Hezekiah prayed. Meaning if the king didn’t come before the Lord and didn’t pray, we would likely have seen a very different ending to this story. Know and believe your prayers matter. Also know and believe the absence of your prayers matters. Prayer is the space in which we get to approach the Lord of All and speak with Him as our Father. He hears, He moves, and He also will withhold if our posture isn’t about coming to Him. Come to the Father, bring your requests before Him, His eyes and ears are attentive to the prayer that is made by His people. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2704

Chapter 38

Behold, it was for my welfare that I had great bitterness; but in love you have delivered my life from the pit of destruction, for you have cast all my sins behind your back. Isaiah 38:17 – There is a lot in this single verse that causes me to pause and remember how good God is. We get a reminder that even our great seasons of bitterness God can form into something for our peace and good. That it was out of love that He saved us, not out of impatience or frustration. And then what hit me this morning was that last phrase of God throwing all our sins behind His back. Casting them aside like they are nothing for because of Jesus, they are nothing now. Keep this in mind when the enemy tries to bring up all your past mistakes and failures. God put all those behind Him and so should we. If God sees your past mistakes as something not to keep in front of Him to look at all the time, maybe we shouldn’t either. Learn the lesson from the mistakes so they don’t happen again, but then put them behind you so you can freely move where God leads you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1239

The Lord will save me, and we will play my music on stringed instruments all the days of our lives, at the house of the Lord. Isaiah 38:20 – We are presented in scripture a unique story where King Hezekiah, during the Assyrian invasion, is told by the Lord that he would die due to a sickness that he was battling. After prayer and requesting of the Lord for healing, God prolonged Hezekiah’s life by fifteen years. What caught my eye as I was reading verse 20 was the confidence in Hezekiah. The Lord “will” save me. He knew that the Lord would do what He said, and He knew that this healing would take place because the Lord had spoken. That though wasn’t the only “will” statement found in the verse. He goes on and says and we “will” play for the Lord all the days of our lives. Hezekiah, unlike anyone else on earth, actually knew how long he had to live. 15 years, 5475 day. Do you know what Hezekiah’s plans were for each of those 5475 days? To play music for the Lord at His house. He knew God would save him and he knew he would praise Him. For us we know that God saves us. We know what He has done and we know what He will do, and we have firm confidence in that. Yet is there a firm confidence in what WE will do all the days of our life? Will we worship Him all the days of our life? Will we serve Him all the days of our life? God is showing us a steady faithfulness to us for all the days of our life on earth and beyond, what are we committing to be steady in for Him all the days of our life and beyond? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2705

Chapter 39

Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.” Isaiah 39:6-8 – The heart of the king here is what stood out to me today. He gets word that all His belongings and even some of his own sons will be taken away from him. Yet what was his response? That all this was good and chose to be grateful over the words of peace he heard and not bitter over the words of future struggles. He was grateful and praiseworthy to God, even when what he heard wasn’t all great. We can all grow at learning to see the praiseworthy side of the situations we are in. Maybe at first all that you’re going through seems to have nothing to praise God for. What we learn though from our passage today is that there always is. Seek it out in the struggle, even pray for help to see it, then once found, let that praise be loud. Have confidence there is always something to praise God for in every situation. For if He is in it with you, then there’s something in that struggle worth shouting a praise over. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1240

He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house. There is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.” Isaiah 39:4 – In the fifteen years that God blessed Hezekiah with, we see the King of Babylon sent an envoy with gifts as a present to Hezekiah to celebrate his recovery. As one commentary stated, this would have been a big deal for the small kingdom of Judah to be recognized by the growing superpower Babylon. Hezekiah must have felt very special. So much so that he showed the Babylonians that came everything in his possession, nothing was left out. We can see though from Isaiah’s words to the Hezekiah, and the future Babylonian invasion, that this was not a wise move on the king’s part. When we also look at this with a spiritual lens, it becomes increasingly clearer why this was unwise. “Babylon” is often connected to sin and the power of Satan. Hezekiah allowed our spiritual enemy access to his life, to see everything, know everything, and be within everything. Let us not find ourselves allowing the enemy such access to our lives. For certain he will try to gain a foothold in areas of your life. Truthfully, he wants more than a foothold, he wants to sit on your living room couch, put his feet up, and raid your fridge. He wants control of your life, but we only have one Master. Be wise then how Satan and sin is being allowed into the different aspects of your life. How is sin finding its way into your family life? Your friends? Your entertainments? The more we invite the enemy into these areas of our life, the more he sees and the more control he is given. Instead, allow and welcome the Spirit of the Lord in every area of your life, giving Him the ultimate control of such things. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2706

Chapter 40

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:28-31 – This whole chapter is illustrating for us the glory and majesty of our God and these final few verses helps us see what He as the Creator wants to do with that power. He wants to help us. He wants to help us keep running and wants to lift those who are faint. He’s not in Heaven holding His power over us as a way to force us to do anything, He’s using His power to help us draw closer to Him. What an amazing God we have! How has God strengthened you in this season? Praise Him for lifting you up like He has and use that strength He’s blessed you with to pursue Him more. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1241

To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? Isaiah 40:18 – This is a solid question we ought to ask ourselves as we progress through the seasons of life. What is God like? What in our world can we describe Him as? Of course we have earthly things that we can use to describe Him, but they all fall short. Father, like our earthly fathers, but God is far greater than any earthly father. We could use things of nature like wind and thunder to describe Him, but He not only is greater than those things, He controls them. Our passage speaks to such greatness of our God. That He holds the oceans of earth in the cup of hand. That the mightiest of nations are like the dust on a scales, something we count as nothing. What is there then on earth that we can liken our God to? Nothing…and that’s the point. There is nothing and no one like our God. He is greater, stronger, wiser, and more able than anything in all creation. Why is this an important concept about our God to be grounded in? Because in life we need something greater, strong, wiser, and more able than anything in all creation to trust in. We don’t need thunder, we need the God who controls the thunder. We can exist without our earthly fathers, but we can’t exist without our Heavenly Father. We need something more, and we find that in our God. Know today there is a God greater than all other things and this same God desires a life with you. He is working and desires your following of Him. Why follow anything less than the One who is greater than all? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2707

Chapter 41

…you whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, “You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off”; fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:9-10 – This was spoken to the people of Israel to comfort them and remind them they have nothing to fear. That God has chosen them and was going to uphold them in His hand. We must remember that what Jesus did on the cross was a message to the world that not only has God chosen Israel, but He’s chosen to demonstrate His love to all and all have the choice to come to Him and find this support. Remember you are chosen by God and He promises you as well that He will uphold you in the storms of life with His righteous right hand.  Keep this in mind when life right now wants to knock you down. God is holding you up and holding you together. Lean on Him and find the strength you need. I love you, but a Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1242

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.” Isaiah 41:13 – What a promise to have from the Lord! When I first read this, the image that came to my mind was a father lovingly holding the hand of his little child. The child may be scared, but there is no need because dad is right there. We also see another beautiful layer to this if we connect this theme of God helpings us to some verses prior. In verse 7 we see idol makers fastening their idols down with nails after they are created, all for the purpose to make sure the idols won’t tip over or be moved. The message there is that with idols, it’s your hands having to hold them up, but with God, it’s His hands holding you up. No idol in our life is speaking to you saying I’ll hold your hand and help you, and least not with any honesty behind those words. Sure, the enemy may say such lines to you, but the reason he wants your hand is to pull you down to Hell with him, not to lift you to solid ground. Whose hand then are you holding? Are you supporting them or are they supporting you? God’s hand is available to take hold of today and He is already positioned to be a support for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2708

Chapter 42

And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16 – Notice that phrase “These are the things I do.” If you ever wondered what God does for us, this verse answers that a little bit. He takes those who blind and confused about their path by the hand and leads them in new directions they’ve never been but need to go. He turns all darkness into light so we can see clearly. He turns the rough parts of life into smooth and through all this He promises not to forsake His own till He’s taken them to where they need to go. That’s what God does. That’s just who He is. Let’s praise Him today for being that way and wanting to help us like this. Use this passage as well to help someone who doesn’t really know who God is and what He does to know. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1243

Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see! Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the Lord? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear. Isaiah 42:18-20 – Here we see God speaking of His people Israel. They were deaf and they were blind. Not physically, but spiritually. They were seeing many things of God, but they didn’t actually take them in. They heard many things from God, but they didn’t actually listen to anything. We too can find ourselves with eyes and ears, but not seeing and hearing. Where God is displaying His power and love in front of us, but we aren’t actually seeing it. Where God is speaking to us through His word and His church, but we aren’t listening to what He is saying. Let us be different than that of the people in our passage. When God moves, let us not only see but be looking for it. When God speaks, let us not only listen but be expectant for His word to come. Not only will we have a posture of obedience to the Lord, but a longing to be obedient to our Lord. Be sure then today you are finding yourself in the word, in prayer, and under the teaching of the church so you can be receiving from the Lord in every avenue you can. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2709

Chapter 43

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:2 – When…not if. I know, I know, not exactly the message we want to hear this morning, but it’s a reality that all of us are seeing right now. That it’s not a matter of if we’ll go through the waters and flames of struggles, but when. Yet really hear what God promises for His people when they do come into these seasons. That He’ll be with us in it, He’ll let it not overwhelm you, you won’t be burned by it, and won’t be consumed by it. Now that a lot of us have stepped into some pretty deep waters and some pretty hot flames due to all that’s going on, this is when we need to actually place our faith in Him like we say we do. Lean on Him and allow this season to be one we look back on in the future as a time where we saw God move in only ways He could for us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1244

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19 – God, through Isaiah, is speaking to His people who have chosen sin over Him. Worshiping God had become a wearisome thing to them, and they had chosen to be blind and deaf to the truths of God’s law spoken over them. They had chosen idols to worship and other nations to rely on for help. God’s people were not acting like God’s people, but God was reminding here whose they were. They were His people, He created them, He saved them, and there is no Savior outside of Him. And while they in their past had chosen sin, God was calling them to forget their former actions and see the new thing He was doing. He was making a way back to Him. A way in the wilderness and a river in the desert, all so His people could be with their God. Yet a dwelling in and on the former sin would keep them from seeing and stepping into the new thing God was doing. That last sentence applies to God’s people of today as well. When our thoughts dwell only on the past failures and sin of our life, it makes it impossible for us to move into the new things God is doing in our midst. Yes, acknowledge that we have sinned, and understand where our weak spots with sin are, but also acknowledge and understand that when Jesus died on the cross, He covered all your sin with His blood. If you have sought Jesus for forgiveness of your sin, know you are fully, entirely, completely forgiven. Dwell not on the things of old, but behold the new things the Spirit is doing ahead of you. You are forgiven, live as such. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2710

Chapter 44

He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. Isaiah 44:14-15 – Here we see scripture trying to open the eyes of its readers to what worshipping an idol really looks like. Here we have a man who finds some strong wood. He brings it home and with half he cooks dinner with it and the other half he carves an idol out of to worship and trust his life to. Such folly is worshipping anything other than God. Such folly is trusting anything you create to save you. It’s too easy anymore to let something other than God be what we trust in. The money we make, other people in our life, politicians, our own intellect. Yet see the limited reach of these things, see how they too were created at one point. We need something not created by man, something eternal, and someone with unlimited reach to be what we put our faith in. Thankfully we have all that and more in God. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1245

Remember these things, O Jacob, and Israel, for you are my servant; I formed you; you are my servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me. I have blotted out your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist; return to me, for I have redeemed you. Isaiah 44:21-22 – Isaiah in verses 9-20 gives us one of the best descriptions of the foolishness of idolatry we find in scripture. He reminds us that idols are made by men, who they themselves grow hungry and weak. He points out how man will take a block of wood, half of it he’ll use to cook meat over, and the other half he’ll make an idol out of and worship it saying it’s his god and savior. After unpacking the foolishness of worshipping such idols, Isaiah calls us to remember all that God does in our story. God forms us, not the other way around. God remembers us. God blots out all our wrong, and God redeems us. I’m not seeing any blocks of wood doing that for us. Today, while I doubt many of you are woodcarving an idol to worship this morning, it is far too easy for us to find ourselves giving to things other than God what only God should receive. We can give a person in our life all our time, we can allow a job to give us our identity, and we can put all our trust in something temporary like money. Time, identity, trust, and worship ought to only be given to the Lord or defined by the Lord. Let’s us not fall into the trap of idolatry, but remember the truths about our God from our passage. He alone is worthy of our all. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2711

Chapter 45

I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’ I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right. Isaiah 45:19 – This was to show the difference on how God spoke to His people compared to that of the pagan oracles of this time. These oracles would dwell in deep, dark caverns and give predictions that were filled with mystery and obscurity. They would leave those who came to them unsure and confused. God wants to make it known that’s not how He works. He’s not hiding in darkness making us find Him. He’s light and available for all to see easily. He gives clear, understandable words and directions for us to follow and find life. He’s not a God of confusion and chaos, but one of peace and clarity. So know today if your mind is filled with confusion, worry, anxiety, and uncertainty, that’s not how God wants to leave you. He wants to offer you the peace of mind you need and the clarity you are looking for. Let your mind dwell on Him today and begin finding the peace you need over what’s going through your thoughts. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1246

I made the earth and created man on it; it was my hands that stretched out the heavens, and I commanded all their host. Isaiah 45:12 – As we read through this chapter, God is repeating Himself in a few ways. He makes it clear to us over and over that He is the Creator. He is the one that made all things in Heaven and Earth. We also see repeated the truth that there is no other God outside of Him, besides Him there is no other that we can look to and find salvation. Why would God not only share those truths but repeat them to us? When we remember that He is the Creator of all things, we remember He has authority and power of all things. He has the authority to speak over all world powers and He has the power to control even the most violent of storms. When we remember that there is no other God outside of Him, we remember that it is pointless to be searching for help and strength in life’s trials anywhere other than God. Let us then keep such truths at the forefront of our minds. While seemingly simple truths, that God is the Creator and there is no other God beside Him, truths that we likely learned in Sunday School as a child, they are truths that shape our existence. Remember today that God is the one who formed you and created everything you see. Remember today that in a world that is grasping for your attention, that God is the only one that can save you. Praise Jesus that the One Creator God of all is mindful of us, loves us, and desires a life with us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2712

Chapter 46

Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness; it is not far off, and my salvation will not delay; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory. Isaiah 46:12-13 – The phrase that stood out to me from these two verses was “I bring near my righteousness.” God is speaking to the stubborn-hearted people who are far from righteousness, far from where they need to be with Him. He says to those people, I’ll bring my righteousness and holiness to you. I’m not going to make you struggle to find it and have to search for endless days. I’ll bring it so close to you that it will be impossible for you, even with your stubbornness, to miss. That’s what He did with Jesus for us, He brought His righteousness near to us so we all could clearly see His love for us. He’s already brought His righteousness near for us and salvation is here for us. Are we though opening our eyes to it? Are we still sitting in our stubbornness refusing to acknowledge we need His help to make it through life? Let’s try to see what God has brought near to us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1247

…even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save. Isaiah 46:4 – Before and after this verse, the Lord speaks of the idols made by men. How they are made with gold and worshipped but have to be carried by men and beast. The picture is that man is having to bring forth and carry his idols. Compare this though to the Lord and He reminds us that He is the one who created us, not the other way around. It is also Him that carries and saves us, not us carrying and saving Him. The questions then we must answer is do we want a god that we have to create and support or do we desire a God that created us and carries us? Do we want a god that we may be able to see with our eyes, but is unable to speak, hear, move, or act on our behalf, or to we want a God that is able see our pain, hear our cry, and powerfully save us? These questions are in front of us today. The Creator God, our creator and sustainer, is right in front of us to choose to follow, or we can choose some other thing to give our all to. Let’s make sure we choose the Lord to give our life to for we need a God that can carry us and that we don’t need to carry instead. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2713

Chapter 47

Stand fast in your enchantments and your many sorceries, with which you have labored from your youth; perhaps you may be able to succeed; perhaps you may inspire terror. You are wearied with your many counsels; let them stand forth and save you, those who divide the heavens, who gaze at the stars, who at the new moons make known what shall come upon you. Behold, they are like stubble; the fire consumes them; they cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame. No coal for warming oneself is this, no fire to sit before! Isaiah 47:12-14 – To sum all that up, the writer was telling his listeners that they were about to be humbled by God. That nothing will save them from the power that God has. Here he sarcastically tells them to run to all the things they ran to for so long to help them to see if they could help with this coming wrath from God. Yet they wouldn’t be able to help because they’re nothing. This really should make us check to see if the things we run to can actually handle what comes in our life. Even if it’s been something we ran to our whole life, if it can’t help us it’s worth leaving. Make sure that what you lean on for help actually can help you and have confidence knowing that if it’s God you have chosen to lean on, He can bear any burden we have. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1248

Such to you are those with whom you have labored, who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you. Isaiah 47:15 – God is speaking to the nation of Babylon that came against Israel. Mercilessly they overpowered Israel, and while God’s hand allowed Babylon to punish sinful Israel, Babylon took things too far and God was now speaking judgement over Babylon. Babylon was known for its occult practices and trust in evil spirits, so God was challenging Babylon to trust in these false gods and evil spirits to save them from Him. Yet none would be able to and none would even try. That last line reveals how hopeless their situation was, “there is no one to save you.” When it comes to God’s judgment on sin, there truly is nothing in this world that is able to save you from it. That line spoken to the Babylonians could be spoken over us, there is no one to save us. This would be true if all we were trusting in were things of the world, but praise the Lord we have a Savior that is not of this world. In Jesus, we have someone to save us. Jesus took the judgement of God upon Himself on the cross so now any who follow Him are saved from God’s wrath on their sin. Now instead of existing in a state of unholiness toward God the Father, because of Jesus we can be holy in the Father’s sight and be welcomed at His table. Know though if you are seeking a life with God and heaven once you die in anywhere other than Jesus, the message God spoke to the Babylonians is being spoken to you. You will find no one to save you. Yet, if you look to Jesus, you’ll find One who is mighty to save. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2714

Chapter 48

Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. My hand laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I call to them, they stand forth together. Isaiah 48:12-13 – God is trying to speak into the lives of His people. He is reminding them of who He is with the hopes they’ll open their eyes to see it and worship Him accordingly. God’s trying to do that in our story as well. Scripture has been laid out for us and we’ve been given brothers and sisters in Christ that can even help us walk through it so we can have our reminders of who God really is. Let’s all be better about leaning deeper into scripture so we too can have the reminders in our life of who God really is. Not just some distance being that really has no influence on the world around us, but a God who is with us here and has the power to change the world without even saying a word. When we step into the places that remind us of who God is then the fear that wants to plague our minds can’t have its victory anymore. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1249

Oh that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea; your offspring would have been like the sand, and your descendants like its grains; their name would never be cut off or destroyed from before me. Isaiah 48:18-19 – God now is speaking to His people of what could have been if they had only looked to Him and followed His voice. If they had truly been a people after God, the Lord tells them that their peace would have been like that of a flowing river. Continual and refreshing. That their righteousness would be like the waves of the sea. As unstoppable as a crashing ocean wave is, so would be God’s ability to make them holy in His sight. Finally, their name would never be cut off from Him and their children would be many and they would be blessed. This would have been their story, yet they turned to follow idols of wood and gold instead as their gods. Through Jesus we too are promised amazing things in scripture. Promises of a life of joy, peace, rest, and blessing as we look to Jesus and follow Him. We though, like the people in Isaiah’s day, can no pay attention to God’s word and follow the passions of the flesh. While we have such freedom to choose such a path, be aware of what we are saying no to when we say yes to sin. We are saying no to the life of purpose and blessing that comes with following Jesus. Let scripture speak for itself, choose this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2715

Chapter 49

…he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6 – God’s purpose for our life is often bigger than we first think. Here God is speaking of Jesus and what the Messiah would be for the world. Israel would have assumed that the Messiah was meant to restore them and only them. God though had much bigger plans, plans to bring the whole world His salvation through the Messiah. Let’s accept the fact that often the plans God has for you are bigger than we think. Further reaching, deeper impact, more lives being changed. As great as all that is, know that means changes to what you think your life’s plans should be so you can step into this bigger purpose God has for you. If you’re willing to follow God through the unexpected changes in your life, He has plans to change the world through each of us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1250

Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:15-16 – As you read through this chapter, we ought to read the Servant spoken of as the Messiah. This would have been the future Messiah in Isaiah’s day, and for us we know it to be Jesus. We see how God would use his Messiah to bring salvation to the world, and bring back His people to Himself. Our passage above reveals the Lord’s affections for His people. While it’s hard to imagine a nursing mother forgetting her baby and having no love or compassion for her baby, even still it could. Yet God says His mind is on us greater than that of a loving mother and her child. The Messiah, Jesus, would have us engraved on the palms of His hands to remind Him of us, and likely the nail scars in his hands would certainly do this. Our walls, meaning here the walls of Jerusalem, but also a picture of the life of those who look to God for salvation, are ever behind the Lord’s eyes. Let us walk away from this passage with a reminder of how deeply the Lord loves us and how we are ever on His mind. His compassion is greater for us than the greatest examples of compassion we can find on earth. His eyes are continually on us. As Psalm 8 records, what is man that you are mindful of us Lord? How are we so blessed to have a God like our God that cares so deeply for us and watches over us like this? Remember today you are on God’s mind and you are never forgotten by Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2716

Chapter 50

The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. Isaiah 50:4 – The “tongue of those who are taught” is meaning that he’s been given the mind and words of someone who deeply knows God’s Word and with it can speak into the lives of those around him who are weary and need uplifting. Here we see one reason why it’s so key that we lean into scripture deeply. So we can refresh those who are weary. So often we don’t know what to say when someone is struggling or can’t give them the answer they need. What we can do though is speak God’s Word into their situation. His Word is what gives rest, peace, and guidance, not our own. Right now there are a lot of people in our reach that are weary. Find ways to speak God’s Word into their story and be pouring into scripture yourself to find a refreshment of your own. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1251

Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who equip yourselves with burning torches! Walk by the light of your fire, and by the torches that you have kindled! This you have from my hand: you shall lie down in torment. Isaiah 50:11 – Once again, Isaiah is prophetically speaking on behalf of the future Messiah. We see Isaiah speak of how the Messiah, our Lord Jesus, would come, be a servant to the Father, and give Himself willingly to be punished by sinful men for our behalf. We see scripture revealing how God was going to make a pathway for us back to Him through His Messiah. That Jesus would be the light and we could follow the light to the Father. In this final verse though, we see fire and light spoken of, but take note this isn’t the light of Jesus. The prophet speaks of people “kindling” their own fire, making their own light instead of trusting in the light Jesus provides. He tells those who carry their own torch and walk by the light of the fire they created themselves will find themselves lying down in torment. To put it more plainly, those who trust their lives to their works or in other things will find themselves not in safety and peace, but in pain and Hell. The only way to the Father is through following the light of Jesus. No “light” created by us or by the world will guide us and get us to the Father. It will only guide us a get us to death. There is only one name under Heaven given to all men that we can be saved through, and that name is Jesus. Follow the only light that will lead you to the Father. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2717

Chapter 51

I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker, who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor, when he sets himself to destroy? And where is the wrath of the oppressor? Isaiah 51:12-13 – Fear wins when we forget who the Lord really is. Our passage is looking at the question of why they are continuing to fear those who are oppressing them when God has made it clear He’s for them and can handle their enemies. Yet when we forget to think on the power of God and the truth that He’s for us, fear can easily find its way into our thoughts and begin having its way with us. God wants you to remember who He is and to dwell on all that. God doesn’t want fear to overwhelm your thoughts, He want the truths He’s spoken to overwhelm our thoughts instead. When fear begins to have its way with us, pause and refresh your thoughts on all that God has spoken and what you know about Him. We have nothing to fear when God’s a part of our story. For those who have placed your faith in Him, have confidence He’s deeply a part of your story. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac  – Daily DEVO 1252

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die in like manner; but my salvation will be forever, and my righteousness will never be dismayed. Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear not the reproach of man, nor be dismayed at their revilings. For the moth will eat them up like a garment, and the worm will eat them like wool, but my righteousness will be forever, and my salvation to all generations. Isaiah 51:6-8 – The truth outlined for us here is transformative to our life if we will embrace it. God is reminding us what will remain for all time and what won’t. As we look to the wonders of the heavens during the night, or if we look to the grander of the mountains and oceans of the earth, these seemingly unmovable, unending things will one day be gone. Also all those who dwell on earth will pass too, even the strong and powerful and wealthy and prideful. But…the salvation of the Lord will last forever and the righteousness of God will never be dismayed. God will never pass away. God will never fade. God is eternal and His power is forever. Why then do we fear what men may say about us and our life with God? Those that mock us for our faith will find their end like the earth and heavens. Listen, trust, and follow instead the One that remains forever. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2718

Chapter 52

Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city; for there shall no more come into you the uncircumcised and the unclean. Shake yourself from the dust and arise; be seated, O Jerusalem; loose the bonds from your neck, O captive daughter of Zion. Isaiah 52:1-2 – God is leaning in and speaking to His people who have been abused by their enemies. He’s saying, get up for you have been saved by me. Yet this passage opens up an idea we need to talk about. Sometimes we can remain in a state or place even after we’ve been saved from it. Know today if God has saved you from something then it’s not a place He wants you to remain in. If scripture has told you that you’ve been set free from something don’t let any other voice, even the voice of our common enemy, tell you that you can’t get up and walk away from it. Awake, put on strength, put on the new clothes God has brought for you, shake off the dust, and arise. The bonds that once held you down no longer do all because of Jesus our Savior. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1253

Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am. Isaiah 52:6 – The language of this verse is so promising! God is declaring His presence with His people and speaking about how in this day of salvation His people will know His name and know it is He who has spoken to them all along. While this is beautiful, there is a saddening element to it. For if God’s people would come to know in that day what His name was and come to know that it was Him who was speaking to them, that means there was a time when His people didn’t know such things. God’s own people didn’t know His name and didn’t know it was Him speaking to them. Their choice of idolatry had closed their heart and minds to the God who had first chosen them as His own. As a commentary I studied today put it, it sad to think that the lost world doesn’t know God, but how terrible is it when those who are God’s own people forget His name and His word to them. While I’m almost certain today if you are reading this, you haven’t forgotten the name “Jesus,” but has some of the names of our Lord outlined to us in His word been forgotten by you? That He is the Prince of Peace, that He is the Wonderful Counselor, that He is Emmanuel, God with us. Sin and the enemy can blind us to God’s presence with us and deafen us to the words God is speaking to us. Let us today come to really know the name of our Lord, and let His word to us be heard, understood, and followed by us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2719

Chapter 53

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 – This passage walks through all that the future Messiah would go through on behalf of the people He loves. For us, we read this passage with a much different understanding of it because we are on the other side of all this. We know the events and we know it was Jesus who did all this for us. Let’s dwell on all that today. Not because it’s a special day like Good Friday, or Easter, or some fancy church revival. It’s just normal day today where typically tacos are all that people are thinking of (it’s Cinco de Mayo if you didn’t know…) It though doesn’t have to be a special church holiday for us to remember what Jesus did for us for. He died for us so we could have life with Him every single day. Be sure to include time in your plans today to thank God for what He did for us. This is a pretty amazing blessing we have getting to have our sins washed away and granted life with God instead. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1254

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 – The entirety of this chapter is speaking of Jesus and the suffering that He would face on our behalf. While this verse is likely a more familiar passage to some, possibly one of the most familiar verses to us in all of Isaiah, let us remember what this familiar verse actually says. Jesus was pieced and crushed for our sin. The judgement of our sin came on Him and that is what brought us peace with God. And it was His wounds that brought us healing. It wasn’t our efforts of making it to church every Sunday that healed our sin. It wasn’t the promises we made to God nor the labels we carry in this world that healed us from the wounds of sin. It was the wounds of Jesus alone that brought us healing. Let us today find ourselves dwelling on and praising God for a Savior who was willing to be wounded on our behalf. Jesus saw us in our sin, and instead of rejecting us decided to be counted among us and took the weight on our sin upon His own shoulders so we could walk away free and healed. Praise Jesus, praise the Father, and Praise the Holy Spirit. We have healing from our sin because of our Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2720

Chapter 54

For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you. Isaiah 54:10 – Imagine a mountain getting up on its own and leaving the place it’s been all along. How likely is that going to happen? Here God is saying that even if the most unlikely thing of a mountain getting up and walking away would happen, that still doesn’t change the fact that that His love will never get up and walk away from us. As impossible as it seems for a mountain to walk away, God’s love leaving us is even more impossible. It’s so easy to think that as a result of something we do or say that God will begin removing His love from us, but hold tight to verses like this. They remind us that it’s not us doing enough to receive and keep God’s love, it’s a choice on His part to make a everlasting covenant with us of peace. His love for you isn’t going anywhere. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1255

…no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord. Isaiah 54:17 – This chapter is a summation of the wonderful promises that each follower of Jesus can expect from the Holy Spirit. That shame and humiliation will be removed, and our Maker that we felt deserted us will remind us that He is good and His steadfast love never departs from us. He will comfort in every storm and every enemy that raises their weapon against us will fail. We see that here in our passage above. While a weapon may come against us, it’s efforts won’t succeed. While slander may connect with our name, the Lord will take care of those who slander His people. Let us though not neglect this late sentence that closes out this promising chapter. All this, the blessings and promises, is for a certain group. Not just everybody, not just because you go to church or carry a Bible around with you. This is the promise and future for His servants and those who find their righteousness in Christ alone. Are you then truly a servant of the Lord and not just a Christian in name? Do you find your right standing with God in Christ alone, or do you feel your actions and efforts somehow have aided in making you right with God? We must understand that God is calling His people to be servants of His, one who is willing to follow His lead and commands always, even when the direction doesn’t make sense. God is also calling His people to trust in His saving work alone to be our vindication, our righteousness before God, and not our works, lest any man should boast. When a follower of God is here, positioned as a servant of the Lord with his righteousness in Christ alone, then they can enjoy fully this promised inheritance from our Heavenly Father. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2721

Chapter 55

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near… Isaiah 55:6 – This means there will be a time when it’s too late to search for God or call upon Him. That time is when we die without turning to Him or He returns before we turn to Him. Once our life is over is not the time we get to choose God or not, that’s when we see the end result of the choice we made here on earth on whether we’re going to follow God or not. I want to share this to remind you to not wait to choose to follow God. As we read in verse 1 God is freely inviting us to partake in all He is offering us. Find life in Him while you still can. For those of you who have done this, make your life about others finding all this in Jesus before it’s too late for them. Tomorrow is promised, yet we don’t know if we’ll be alive on earth tomorrow or in our afterlife somewhere. Seek the Lord while He may be found and help others do the same. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1256

Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy, Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Isaiah 55:1-2 – Alright, what’s the catch? Maybe that’s the question you’re thinking after reading such verses. We are being invited to come and enjoy water, milk, wine, bread, and rich food all without money or price. While those items may not seem that extravagant to us today, this would have been the ingredients to a feast for them, and it was all being given at no cost to them? So again…what’s the catch? How is all this abundance being offered freely to all? Because a Heavenly Father took care of the bill. Like a young child doesn’t even think twice about the cost of the meal on the menu, but chooses and eats freely knowing dad is going to take care of the bill is the posture God is calling us to have. Through Jesus God has made His spiritual table of all He has to offer us free for us to enjoy. Joy, peace, love, strength, patience, kindness, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and life. All in abundance and all at no cost to us, because the cost was taken care of by our Heavenly Father. Let us turn from enjoying the world and enjoy what the Lord provides. Thank you Lord that we have this table of your goodness in front of us today that we can enjoy freely at no cost because you covered the bill for us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2722

Chapter 56

Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, “The Lord will surely separate me from his people”; and let not the eunuch say, “Behold, I am a dry tree.” For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Isaiah 56:3-5 – I love this and I also know this is a passage that many of us need a reminder of. That God accepts you not as a result of your worldly labels, but because of your choice to follow Him. That where you grew up, who your parents were, how much money you have, or even the mistakes you’ve made in the past aren’t what qualifies/disqualifies you for His love and life. He’s made it available to all who choose to walk after Him. Be sure that those who struggle feeling worthy enough for what God offers hears this. That what God is looking for is a person who chooses daily to live their life for Him. All the other labels we carry the world looks at, but God looks are the heart. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1257

For thus says the Lord: “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. Isaiah 56:4-5 – For those who have listened to my recent sermons over Acts 8, you likely remember that the Eunuch that Philip spoke with was reading from the book of Isaiah. Many believe the reason why he chose Isaiah to read was because of this passage and how lovingly God speaks to Eunuchs within it. For a eunuch in that day would be cut off from worship, unable to participate in the temple services. Being an outcast from God’s people in worship would fuel their belief that they were an outcast with God Himself, regardless of how holy they sought to live. Yet the Lord reminds them that with Him, outcast is not their label. Those that faithfully followed and served Him would have a place in His house and God would give them a name and place above anything that man could give them. See God’s heart here for those that believe they are too far gone for a life with Him. The foreigner, the outcast, and the sinner; all those that believe they are cut off from God can turn, live for the Lord, and find acceptance in His presence. This is the hope of the world. God is about bringing all peoples to Himself and He has made such a pathway to Himself through His Son Jesus. If then today you connect with that idea of outcast from God, know God is opening the door to His home to you, welcoming you to His table, and He is longing to have a life with you. Reach out if you long to learn about Jesus and the life you can have with Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2723

Chapter 57

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners… Isaiah57:18 – God sees our ways, yet even still has chosen that path of helping us come to Him. What sort of crazy amount of love does someone have to have for someone to see all the wrong they’ve done, seen how this other person has completely rejected them, yet still pursues this other person to show love to them. That’s God in our story. In our passage we see God being aware of all these things His people did and said, just like it is with us. Yet He remained constant in His efforts of helping them to see His love. Know that God has seen everything about you, and I mean everything. Yet, even with all that on the table, He still wants you. Let’s accept that truth about His love for us and freely turn to Him, mistakes and all. Have confidence you won’t be turned away by Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1258

Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial, for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness. Isaiah 57:8 – The Lord is speaking to His people about their passions for the idols in their life. God relates their worship of idols to an adulterous spouse with a fiery lust for their secret lover. Their adultery had grown so much that it was no longer a secret, but they “uncovered” their bed and made it wide, meaning their adultery was known and seen by all. They would walk into the home of their false lover, close the door behind them, and commit the sins of abandoning their God. Note though how this verse begins, “Behind the door and the doorpost.” Why that’s a unique thing for God to say is for what would have been inscribed on their doorpost. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 says they are to keep in mind, teach their children, … and write on their doorposts this: “The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” What God was seeking to do with His people was to have them remember their commitment to Him always. So when they went through the door to commit sin with their adulterous lover, they would have to pass by the inscription that God alone is God and that they love Him, then close the door to all that. When we sin, this is exactly what we are doing as well. We say God alone is our God and we love Him, yet when we chose sin we are “walking by our doorpost,” closing the door to God, and choosing sin over Him. Let us live for our God better than this. Choose to follow after Jesus today and let go of the sin of yesterday. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2724

Chapter 58

‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Isaiah 58:3 – This chapter was unpacking the way true fasting should look like and showing how this people’s idea of fasting was all wrong. They fasted for selfish reasons, not for the purposes we see God outline for them as to why fasting is important. So why do you do what you do for God? Whether it’s fasting or studying scripture or helping out at a food bank or even giving at church. Why are you doing it? Selfish reasons like for others to notice or to bribe God into a blessing can easy find their way into our motives. Be careful that the reason behind your service to God is true and holy. That you serve because you love Him, you know it pleases Him, and it allows you to fulfill the purpose He’s given you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1259

Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Isaiah 58:2-3 – As we read these verses, there is an appearance of real righteous living coming from God’s people. After such righteous living, we see them calling unto God asking why He isn’t seeing their righteous acts and moving on their behalf. God then uses the rest of the chapter to reveal that He sees behind the façade of righteousness. Whether it was fasting or the Sabbath, they weren’t keeping these things to honor God, but they were tools to glorify and please themselves. Such “righteous” acts weren’t going to please the Lord or move Him to act. Let us then be willing to check our heart around the ways we serve the Lord. Whether its church attendance, daily scripture reading, serving at church, or giving; what’s our heart behind those actions and what our why? In Isaiah’s day these sorts of things were mingled with sin and selfishness, leaving them looking for God’s approval on their lives, but empty of such acknowledgement from the Lord. In this chapter God teaches that if we first live righteous and love those around us, then when we call upon him He will answer with “Here I am.” Be sure your actions of devotion to the Lord are free from sin and selfishness. Not so that God will finally answer you, but so our lives can be honoring to the Lord we follow. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2725

Chapter 59

They hatch adders’ eggs; they weave the spider’s web; he who eats their eggs dies, and from one that is crushed a viper is hatched. Isaiah 59:5 – This verse means that the people here gave themselves over to purposes that were destructive. Whether it’s was idolatry, trusting in the wrong people, or forsaking the laws of God, the things they invested their lives in would only bring hurt to them. Yet, not only that, like a spider with its web they tried to bring others onto their path of destruction. Let’s take a look then at what we are investing our life in. Is the end product something that’s going to bring us joy or pain? If other’s were to follow our lead and get caught up in what we are doing, would they be led to peace or destruction? Know that if you’re investing in the life God wants you to live the end is peace, joy, and purpose and others who follow you will find the same. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1260

He put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; he put on garments of vengeance for clothing, and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak. Isaiah 59:17 – If you’ve ever read Ephesians 6 and heard the list given there of the armor of God, then likely these two pieces sound familiar to you. The context of the passage here is that God’s people were deep in their sin, but eventually came to the realization that the struggle they were in was a result of their sinfulness, not God’s lack of power. When God saw their repentant heart, but also saw they were in the pit of their suffering, He looked for someone to step up and lead His people to Him and out of their pit. No one though arose, so God rose instead for His people. He put on His armor, defeated the enemy of His people, and brought salvation for His people. Now in Ephesians, we who are followers of Jesus are called to “Take up the whole armor of God” and put it on ourselves. To wear the very armor God used here in Isaiah to defeat the enemy and bring salvation to His people. As we then wear our God’s armor, we know it’s not our hand that brings salvation and we know our hand alone can’t defeat the enemy. Yet, with the all-powerful God fighting for us, and His armor protecting us, the only result possible for this battle is victory. Therefore, put on the whole armor of God. It’s been battle tested and it won. The battles and enemy in front of you stand no chance when we wear our God’s armor and have our God’s mighty hand with us. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2726

Chapter 60

The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Isaiah 60:19 – I love the imagery here. Think of all that the light of the sun does for us. It pushes out the darkness, it makes clear the paths we are to go on, and it even brings peace on journeys that would be filled with worry when shadowed in darkness. God here is saying He wants to be that light in our whole life. He was to cast out the darkness. He wants to make our paths clear and remove the worry from them. He also wants be do all this and be all this for all eternity. He doesn’t want to be your light then when you come to a scary part in life leave you in darkness. He wants to walk always with us, helping us see our path and providing the peace we need to take another step. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1261

Instead of bronze I will bring gold, and instead of iron I will bring silver; instead of wood, bronze, instead of stones, iron. I will make your overseers peace and your taskmasters righteousness. Isaiah 60:17 – This chapter looks to be speaking of a glorious future for Israel, God’s people. After lifetimes of harsh treatments and persecution, God is promising a day that will outshine all the darkness. When His glorious light will not only cast out any darkness, but will draw the world to Israel. In verse 17 we see the Lord touching on the gifts that will be brought to Israel as an offering to be given the Lord. We see how God takes something simple and each times replaces it with something better. You had bronze, now it will be gold. You have iron, silver will be given instead. This was to be just a taste of how good this glorious future would be. Yet one commentary I read on this today notes that while bronze to gold is special, making a slavedriver (taskmaster) righteous is even more of a glorious feat. Those that came against them would bow at their feet. For a nation under such turmoil, whether in Isaiah’s day or our day, what a beautiful promise to have. And a promise that will come in God’s timing. Let us then today choose to live in expectancy that this is the settled future for the world. Let us pray for Israel, let us shine the light of God’s glory in the ways we are called to today, and let us trust that God’s glorious future will make all things right. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2727

Chapter 61

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound… Isaiah 61:1 – This reminds us that there is a purpose attached to all the blessing that God has done in our story. God has graciously poured out His Spirit on us, like we see done in this passage, yet notice the word “because.”  The Spirit was given so he could bring good news to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, and to proclaim liberty to those bound. What we must remember is we’ve been given the Spirit for those same purposes. Not just so we can have life and freedom, but to help others have it too. Be seeking out ways then today to fulfill the purpose behind why you were given the Holy Spirit in your story. There are poor, broken-hearted, captive people around us that need the same Spirit we’ve been given and you can be the one to introduce them to Him. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1262

They shall build up the ancient ruins; they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Isaiah 61:4-6 – Isaiah, speaking as the future Messiah, shares what life will be like under the Messiah’s reign. In short, it will be beautiful. In the verses above, the Messiah speaks of the people that follow Him. We see two tasks given to them that He will instill them with the gifts to perform. To rebuild and to minister. Followers of Christ are called to be rebuilders of the things that sin and the enemy has torn down. Even if the destruction is ancient, we’ve been gifted to step in and help rebuild through our Savior. Followers of Christ are also called to minister, to care for the church and point others to the God they follow. Today, seek how you could be used by the Lord to fulfill your calling to rebuild and minister. Is God wanting to use you to help rebuild a relationship between two family members? Has God been pointing you to a person you’re supposed to point to Him? How could you be a part in rebuilding the passion in your church family for Jesus, even if that fire in your church family hasn’t been there for years? While Jesus will one day reign like we read about in the last days, He still is sovereign today and reigns. His blessings are still being poured out over His followers today so they can carry out their God given purpose. Let us today serve our Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2728

Chapter 62

You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate, but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. Isaiah 62:4 – Scripture is speaking of the coming rescue and salvation of God’s people. What’s beautiful is how God chooses to word all this. He speaks multiple times of renaming His people. Where he strips off the old labels of forsaken and desolate and renames them His delight and married. We see elsewhere in scripture God stripping away old labels and replacing them with new ones. Like the old has passed away and we are a new creation, or we are not longer orphans but heirs. The labels we choose to listen to will impact greatly how we relate with God. Understand as a Christian, you’ve been given labels like loved, forgiven, child, and masterpiece. If how you see yourself doesn’t line up with the names God has spoken over you, then maybe you’re living under the wrong labels. Uncover the labels God has placed on you within scripture and seek to accept and live by them. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1263

The nations shall see your righteousness, and all the kings your glory, and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. Isaiah 62:2 – The Lord is looking over His people and seeing their unrighteous pursuit of sin, and He also sees the future captivity and exile that’s to come for His people because of such sin. God though speaks of His promises beyond their sin and beyond their exile. God says He will restore, and in such restoring, God will begin to call them by a new name. In our chapter we get multiple new names that His people would get to carry as a result of His saving. Instead of forsaken and desolate, they would be called “My Delight Is In Her” and “Married.” At the end of the chapter we see a few more names: The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord, Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken. For a nation in exile by an enemy nation, how precious would such truths be. “You’re not forsaken, I have sought you out and my delight is in you! I will make you my holy people and call you as my own.” This promise is carried over to all believers today for we see in passages through the New Testament on how God does the same “renaming” for us. We too are called holy and loved heirs with Christ, adopted into the family of God. If then the enemy has you believing his names for you like unqualified, worthless, and unlovable, then listen closely to the Father instead and hear the names He has for you. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2729

Chapter 63

I looked, but there was no one to help; I was appalled, but there was no one to uphold; so my own arm brought me salvation, and my wrath upheld me. Isaiah 63:5 – Here we have this image of God looking out over His people while they were being overwhelmed by their enemies. He speaks of looking out to see if any would step up to help. To see if the idols they have trusted in would help or if their own strength they’ve boasted about would come through for them, but nothing. So God Himself said He chose to step in and bring the much needed salvation Himself. Not that salvation could be found elsewhere anyways, but it does remind us that the only one truly fighting for our salvation is God. All the other things we can trust in can’t provide that for us, only God can and only God will step up to the plate to offer us salvation. Let’s celebrate today that we have a God who saw our need and didn’t sit back and wait for someone else to step in and take care of us. By His own arm He reached down and destroyed our enemies and at the same time brought us the life we longed for. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1264

For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and my year of redemption had come. Isaiah 63:4 – We are seeing the Messiah, Jesus Christ, speaking in this prophecy from Isaiah. The grander picture happening here is God is speaking of His punishment on the sin of the world and His people, and then beyond that judgement the future redemption and saving of His people. Yet when we read a passage like the one above and see that “the day of vengeance was in my (Christ’s) heart,” that can seem a little confusing to us to hear. Was Jesus looking forward to this? What was in Jesus’ heart was His desire to make things right between us and the Father, to take full judgement on the sin that separated us from Himself. Also notice the lengths of time God established here for vengeance and redemption. A day for vengeance, but a year for redemption. One commentary put it this way, “A day is time enough for God to take vengeance, to kill, and to destroy. He hastens over work that is necessary, but uncongenial. But he lengthens out the time of release and redemption for his loved ones.” While vengeance and judgement are not actions we love to attribute to our Jesus, they are necessary for our salvation to be possible and for God’s plans to be fulfilled. Thankfully the God handling the judgment is full of steadfast love, is forever wise, and eternally trustworthy. Let us also praise the Lord that He is a God that handles judgement quickly yet prolongs the outpouring of His blessing. We truly do have a great God that deserves our faithfulness. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2730

Chapter 64

When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence. Isaiah 64:3 – We see in this chapter the people reaching out to God to save them. Here they recall how He saved them in the past, when He came is awesome power and in ways they had never seen before or could even imagine. Things like when God rescued them from Egypt in such a mighty way. The people are now looking back on how God rescued them and seeking another rescue. Know that God doesn’t run out of rescues. We can find ourselves over and over in struggles within our life. Some may be a result of our bad choices and some may come as a result of our pursuing Jesus well; either way struggles are inevitable. God though can rescue and help us through as many struggles we find ourselves in. He will not grow weary and will not turn us away. So lean on Him in the struggle. Since He is offering the help you need to get through it, take it. Watch how God can come through for you in ways you could never expect or even imagine. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1265

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him. You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time, and shall we be saved? We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away. Isaiah 64:4-6 – Our passage continues the cry of God’s people to God from the previous chapter who are seeking salvation from Him. Yet they come to an eternal problem. God’s meets and listens to those who are righteous, but they were still in sin. God’s people had turned to sin and even their best attempts at righteous acts weren’t enough to please the Lord. How then does one in sin gain the attention of a holy God who only listens to the righteous? Through the righteousness of another. This is what Jesus means when only through Him can we reach the Father and that His Spirit speaks on our behalf to the Lord. Our righteous deeds without Jesus are like a filthy rag, but Jesus’ righteousness is perfect. We can choose to follow Jesus and He will stand on our behalf, and we can speak to the Father in ways we never could have earned all due to Jesus’ righteousness. Praise the Lord we have a perfect Mediator in Christ, and praise the Lord that our Mediator lives forevermore, eternally present to cover us in His righteousness. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2731

Chapter 65

But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem to be a joy, and her people to be a gladness. Isaiah 65:18 – The phrase “I create Jerusalem to be a joy,” really stood out to me this morning. After studying it a bit, it looks like what’s meant here is that God was going to create within Jerusalem such a source of joy that not only would it be felt by His people, but that joy would overflow onto the lives of those around them. This is exactly the case with us. Our source of joy is Jesus and we are called to not just simply enjoy the joy but be a sharer of that joy that we have found in Jesus. If this is our truth, that we too have been created to be a joy to those around us, how can you be that today? I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1266

…who say, “Keep to yourself, do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.” These are a smoke in my nostrils, a fire that burns all the day. Isaiah 65:5 – The Lord is speaking about His people Israel who while having the voice of the Lord calling to them, they refused to respond. The people committed horribly offensive sins to the Lord, things He clearly commanded them to keep far from their life. Yet after committing their sins, they still saw themselves as “holier” than others. For they chose what was sinful and what was holy, instead of letting God determine such things. If then the sins they committed were “right in their eyes,” then according to them they were holy, and wanted nothing to do with those who committed the sins they determined wrong. We see here how skewed things get when we become the determiner of what is right and wrong. We not only cast people out, but we blind ourselves to the truth that we are being a stench to the Lord. Find yourself then in a posture of allowing God to determine what is holy and what is not, then however the Lord determines you follow. Even if what you discover contradicts what you initially believe. For living according to our determination of holiness will lead us to Hell as quickly as flagrant sin. Yet following what God says in His Word is what will lead us to a life that is pleasing to our God and will open our eyes to the true path of righteousness which is Jesus Christ. Lean not on your own understanding, but trust in the Lord. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2732

Chapter 66

Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one in the midst, eating pig’s flesh and the abomination and mice, shall come to an end together, declares the Lord. Isaiah 66:17 – We have here the people spoken of searching to find holiness and purity, but going about it in the wrong ways. Here they follow one another in participating in all the idolatrous ways of the nations around them, seeking purity through them. That somehow they would find life and peace through sinfulness. As we close up Isaiah today, much of what we see in this book is the reminder that life, peace, purity, and salvation only come from God. There are endless other places shouting out that you can find all that and more from them, but what we’ve seen through this book is that none can fulfill their promise. God is the only one speaking to you, not shouting at you, that can truly come through on all that He promises. Is then what you are pursing the most in life actually able to give you what you really need in life? If there is needing a course change in your story, know God is here with arms wide open and I’m here to help however I can. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1267

From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord. “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. Isaiah 66:23-24 – After over two months of studying Isaiah, we are closing out this book with an image of the ultimate closing of the story of humanity. God is allowing our eyes to get a glimpse of the only two eternal destinations available for us. As one commentary put it, “Worship or Worm.” We can choose to respond to the call of God to follow Him and our eternal destination will be worshiping Him in Heaven with all those that have made that choice with us. We also can choose to rebel against the call of God to follow our own ways. If that’s our choice our eternal destination is Hell where the worm will not die and the fire will not be quenched. While that image is abhorring, exactly as scripture says it will be, understand it’s the future for all who reject the call of God. We see in verse 4 how God is calling and speaking, but they did not answer or listen. Know then today that God’s call is going out. He is making it known to the world that He is alive, He is real, and He alone has the path to eternal life. If you have already responded faithfully to His call, begin now extending the sound of God’s voice to others by proclaiming the gospel with your voice. If you have not responded to the call of the Lord yet, make today the day of your response. The Lord loves you and the Lord has made a way for you to find salvation through Jesus Christ. The “worm” doesn’t have to be your future. Turn to Jesus, accept His gift of salvation, and follow Him for the rest of your days. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2733