Graves' This and That

    Have you ever noticed that the object you purchased which you thought would thrill your heart has instead been a great disappointment?  In reading Isaiah 55, a question is put forth by Isaiah: "Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?"  In contrast, Isaiah mentions several thoughts which will bring satisfaction:  Come to the Lord as Savior and Lord in salvation.  To make that choice requires no money, and the invitation is an open invite...ya'll come! It requires a willingness to receive the invitation. Coming to Him, we can experience our soul, (mind, will, and emotions) to be nourished and nurtured.  His thoughts and ways are the highest in quality for our spiritual welfare, and we can align our mindset to His purposes for us. His every spoken or written Word will accomplish what He has purposed.  Promise made; Promise kept!  Our obedience to His Word is encouraged.   The result of r...

    I have not seen some of the "precious ruins" of great architecture of the ages, but I have seen some of what I have perceived as "ruins" from my own life. As I am finishing up my reading of Isaiah, I saw these verses and thought of my "ruins"... "The Lord will surely comfort Zion (I put my name in the place of Zion) and will look with compassion on all her ruins; HE will make her deserts like the garden of the Lord.  Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the sound of singing." Isaiah 51:3.  I also saw the passage marked with a date asking the Lord to make my "ruins" a garden.   I usually have a "saying" about some of the events of my life and when I eyeball what I perceive as a ruin or a mess, (hot or cold!) I have applied the truth of Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose." Of course ALL in HIS pur...

Reading from Isaiah 43 and 44, I found two verses which are great reminders to those of us who seem to have a sensitive conscience:  "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions , for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more."  Isa. 43:25 and Isaiah 44:22, "I have swept away your offenses (transgressions) like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist.  Return to me, for I have redeemed you."  Here are my thoughts after digging around for the Hebrew of some words to allow the verses to be more personal.  1.  Blots :  to stoke, or rub, wipe, abolish, erase. 2.  Transgressions :  pesha, rebellion especially refusal to respond to rightful authority. 3.  Remember :  mention, with intention will not remember. 4.  Sins : chattah: habitual sins. 5.  Swept away :  blot, abolish, wipe, erase. 6.  Redeemed :  to buy back(from a slave block).  My Lord God has erased my rebellion for His sak...

  There is a consistent truth that runs through-out God's Word...we humans are most needy!  Over the years, I have felt ashamed that I am so needy.  I have holed up in the Psalms off and on for years, and I have FINALLY begun to notice that the psalmists with all their physical and mental assets were NEEDY!  Do a quick accounting looking over the Psalms and you will find that many of them are about praise and thanksgiving, but most of them are about a care, a need, wondering if God was hearing their prayer, desperate cries of alarm, distress, and pleas to defend the psalmist against his foes. Aha!  2 Corinthians 12:8-9, Paul's thorn in the flesh, "Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.  But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Why do I need to pray?  Because I AM needy and it is my agreement with the Lord God that I need HIM desperately to intervene and it is my choice to...

  Israel is returning from Babylonian captivity and God has a message for them by way of Isaiah.  In Isaiah 40, God asks several questions for Israel to consider. " Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?  Who has held the dust of the earth in a bucket?  Who has understood the mind of the Lord or instructed Him as His counselor?  Whom did the Lord consult....?  Who taught Him the right way?  Who has taught Him knowledge?  Who showed Him the path of understanding?"   HE desires that Israel might acknowledge and worship HIM rather than the work of their hands.    " To whom, then will you compare God?  What image will you compare Him to?"  In reading Isaiah and the New Testament, one can easily see that Israel just didn't  "get" it.  I perceive that these are very valid questions that we need to inquire of ourselves.  It is very obvious that our God is peerless!  No one or the work of ou...

  There are a couple (that I will mention) of material things that escape my attention occasionally:  my phone and my keys!  Age is not always the blame either!  I find that the culprit is usually my carelessness for not paying attention to where I place the items.   Today, as I was reading in Isaiah 33, verses 5-6 caught my eye: "The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.  He will be the sure foundation for your times , a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure."     Just from a very simplistic observation of "the times" I see some of the foundations which we as American Christ followers have long treasured becoming more and more elusive. I see red flags reminding me that even though it may appear that evil is having a hay-day, Almighty God knows exactly what HE is doing and allowing, and my superior option is to TRUST HIM...

     Israel expresses her dismay, " But Zion said, 'The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me.  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 49:14-16  Engraving was practiced by the ancients so this was not a new expression to the people of that day.  The engraving was done by burning or puncturing a memento or figure on the hand, arms, etc.  It was usually colored by rubbing in henna, indigo, or some other colored substance.  Imagine with me as the Lord, Himself, speaks to Israel, "I have you engraved on the palms of my hands..."  To further show His remembrance of you and me, the nail print would certainly leave a further assurance of His remembrance.   What love, not just shown with verbal e...