2-18-06 Isaiah 52:1

Isaiah 52:1 (KJ21)
Awake, awake! Put on thy strength, O Zion! Put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.

Isaiah 52:1 (NAS)
Awake, awake, Clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion; Clothe yourself in your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. For the uncircumcised and the unclean Will no more come into you.

Isaiah 52:1 (NIVUS)
Awake, awake, O Zion, clothe yourself with strength. Put on your garments of splendor, O Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.

Isaiah 52:1 (NLT)
Wake up, wake up, O Zion! Clothe yourselves with strength. Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem, for unclean and godless people will no longer enter your gates.

Have you ever hit your snooze alarm, when it was time to get up in the morning? Perhaps you hit it more than once, hoping to get a little more sleep? Those few extra minutes in bed usually do not benefit you; in fact, they could be a detriment, if they take away from your time to get ready. Your flesh wants to lie in bed, but then you rush to put yourself together. Striving to get more rest ultimately cause less rest. The best thing for you to do is to immediately stir yourself to get up when you awaken.

In the spiritual realm, even though you have been born anew and are a child of the King, you can experience sleepiness of your soul and spirit. Lethargy and despondency can easily overtake you. At those times, it is important for you to rouse yourself. Your feelings and emotions may not be supporting you in this, but you must stir up the gift within you. You should act excited and triumphant, though that is last thing you feel. If you do not do this, you may be laid bare and exposed to your enemies.

As you choose what clothing you will wear each morning, so you must choose to put on your spiritual apparel. Dress yourself in the strength and might of the Lord. This will keep you firm in your faith and give you the power to prevail.

Satan, your adversary, wants you to believe that you are a parched, dry place. Although that may have been true in the past, it is no longer, for Adonai, your Lord and God, has made you a signpost and monument of His excellence. He has made you bright and preeminent. You are an overseer, director, and chief who endures perpetually. You are beautified and adorned with the glory and splendor of the Lord. You are fully clothed and arrayed in His renown and honor. You are covered with the finest of garments and bedecked with the most precious jewels.

You are now a city of peace. You are holy, sanctified, and consecrated to the Almighty God. Nothing unclean or impure resides within your borders. Terror and anguish are no longer a part of you, but increase and gain are the norm.

2-17-06 Job 8:6

Job 8:6 (KJ21)
if thou wert pure and upright, surely now He would awake for thee and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

Job 8:6 (NAS)
If you are pure and upright, Surely now He would rouse Himself for you And restore your righteous estate.

Job 8:6 (NIVUS)
if you are pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself on your behalf and restore you to your rightful place.

Job 8:6 (NLT)
if you are pure and live with complete integrity, he will rise up and restore your happy home.

Although you were a sinner and covered in darkness, you have been cleansed and made pure. You are now transparent and innocent. Your path was crooked, but now you are traveling on a straight road. You are righteous and well pleasing to Adonai, the Most High God. He esteems you highly.

Others may think that God is asleep, since He does not seem to hear their prayers. However, for you, He opens His eyes. He awakens Himself to lift you up.

The Lord your God satisfies you with a lovely home, a residence where you dwell in rest. There He blesses you with prosperity and safety. He makes everything good for you and fills up what is lacking. In Him, you have perfect peace. He always restores you and rewards your faith.

2-16-06 Psalms 142:6

Psalms 142:6 (KJ21)
Attend unto my cry, for I am brought very low; deliver me from my persecutors, for they are stronger than I.

Psalms 142:6 (NAS)
Give heed to my cry, For I am brought very low; Deliver me from my persecutors, For they are too strong for me.

Psalms 142:6 (NIVUS)
Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me.

Psalms 142:6 (NLT)
Hear my cry, for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me.

When you are speaking with someone, you want them to pay attention to what you are saying. You do not want to see him gazing off into the distance, with a blank stare on his face. You prefer him to focus on you and if need be, to incline his ear towards you, so that he can hear you better.

Likewise, when you cry out to Jehovah, the Lord, you want to know that He is listening to you. Sometimes you may think that if you make enough noise that He will surely hear. You do not need to be concerned about this, for Adonai is your Father and He is always listening for your loudest shout or weakest whisper. He does give heed to your voice.

You may be in a time when you feel oppressed and feeble; now is not the time to cease crying to the Lord. When you are low, dried up, and empty, you need God's help. You may not be equal to what you are facing and your resources may be exceedingly thin. Do not despair; the Almighty is your Defender and Deliverer. He will provide you an escape to preserve your life. He will pluck you from the hand of your enemies. He will rescue you from those who persecute and chase after you with hostile intent. They may hunt for you, but the Lord will spoil their plans. He will save you without fail, even if your adversaries are stronger than you. They may be hard and obstinate, but the Lord is on your side. He is stronger than any of your foes.

2-15-06 Psalms 17:1

Psalms 17:1 (KJ21)
(A Prayer of David) Hear the right, O LORD; attend unto my cry! Give ear unto my prayer, which goeth not out of feigned lips.

Psalms 17:1 (NAS)
(A Prayer of David) Hear a just cause, O LORD, give heed to my cry; Give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips.

Psalms 17:1 (NIVUS)
(A prayer of David) Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips.

Psalms 17:1 (NLT)
(A prayer of David) O LORD, hear my plea for justice. Listen to my cry for help. Pay attention to my prayer, for it comes from an honest heart.

Prayer is a universal institution. No matter what culture or what religion, prayer is a staple commodity. Many people pray when they are in trouble; others pray simply because they know they should. Very few of these prayers are made in faith and even fewer are spoken by people who really believe in God.

Israel's King David was a man who knew Adonai, His God, and he understood God's heart. He was well-beloved by the Lord. He considered the Almighty a friend that he could turn to for whatever he needed. He was not afraid to tell the Lord exactly how he felt, whether happy or sad, angry or peaceful. He even asked the Lord to pay attention to his cry.

Like David, you too can call upon Adonai in faith. You are a righteous man and can be assured that your prayers, supplications, and intercessions originate from a cleansed heart. You also can be assured that God will answer your prayers with His justice. Therefore, ask God to prick up His ears at your call. Shout to Him in your joy and triumph. Cry to Him in your sorrow and grief. However, do not let your lips speak deceitful or false words. Do not use treachery in your prayers, but always speak the truth. Then you can know that God will answer you speedily.

2-14-06 Psalms 129:4

Psalms 129:4 (KJ21)
The LORD is righteous; He hath cut asunder the cords of the wicked.

Psalms 129:4 (NAS)
The LORD is righteous; He has cut in two the cords of the wicked.

Psalms 129:4 (NIVUS)
But the LORD is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.

Psalms 129:4 (NLT)
But the LORD is good; he has cut the cords used by the ungodly to bind me.

There are two standards in life; one is morally right and one is morally wrong. Those in the second category are ungodly and wicked. Although they know they are guilty and condemned, they desire to disturb and violate the morally righteous. They are always looking to make trouble.

Perhaps you believe you have been entwined in their thick cords. You feel wrapped in dense branches and lost in a dark wood. You know that these wicked men have tried to pervert your life, chaining you to their evil beliefs.

However, the Lord Jehovah is your righteous judge. He will not allow the wicked to continue to entrap you; their chains cannot hold you. Adonai, the Almighty God, will cut them asunder. They will be left in pieces, but you will go free.

2-13-06 Psalms 140:7

Psalms 140:7 (KJ21)
O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

Psalms 140:7 (NAS)
O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, Thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

Psalms 140:7 (NIVUS)
O Sovereign LORD, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle—

Psalms 140:7 (NLT)
O Sovereign LORD, my strong savior, you protected me on the day of battle.

Have you heard the expression "Take cover!"? What images come to mind? Do you see people scrambling for some place to hide because there is danger imminent?

Perhaps you feel that there is danger imminent now in your life. Others may be speaking evil things about you. You think you are fighting a battle that you cannot win. And you want to take cover to escape all of the fall out.

There is one place that you can go where you will always be safe. The Lord Jehovah is your salvation and deliverance. He builds a fence around you and hedges you in. He stops the approach of your enemies. He is your protector and liberator, for He is mighty and strong and always prevails. He covers your head, so that you will not take any fatal wounds. Your welfare is always His concern. No lies spoken against you will ever defeat you. Adonai, your God, has made you victorious in any battle.

2-12-06 Psalms 12:46

Psalms 124:6 (KJ21)
Blessed be the LORD, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth.

Psalms 124:6 (NAS)
Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.

Psalms 124:6 (NIVUS)
Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth.

Psalms 124:6 (NLT)
Blessed be the LORD, who did not let their teeth tear us apart!

As a man, you are at the top of the food chain, so to speak. However, there are times that you may feel like you are prey. Satan always tries to tear and rend you apart. He sees you as a meal that he can sink his teeth into.

The Lord Jehovah will not let that happen. He desires to bless you, for He adores you. He protects you from every attack of the enemy. Adonai has committed Himself to deliver you. He provides all that you need. Instead of mere prey for your foes, you have become a victorious champion.