Fearlessly Courageous
11/17/2022
Desk of Dennis Piller
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him.
I was reading and felt like he wanted me to read Is. 53:
I have copied it here so you can read it with me.
Isaiah 53:
Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 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.
6 all we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—everyone—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he opened not his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he opened not his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off out of the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see9 and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
make many to be accounted righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and makes intercession for the transgressors.
There are so many places to go in these verses. Verse 10a: Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief.
What does that say about you… and me? Do you trust God through the crushing times of life?
Do you realize that you pray to a God who understands what it means to be crushed and in anguish? Do you realize the love of Jesus as He went forth for you, and was crushed and forsaken by God so that you could have the opportunity to do that which you were created to do:
Walk with God, and know God because you were created to need God.
Pastor Brooks often spoke of the season of waiting in our lives. It comes at every age, young and old. We wonder if we will come out alive or what the carnage will be. Waiting on God can be laborious, but we can choose to enter his gates with praise and thanksgiving. Hebrews 12:2 “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author, and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
God has a plan for your life and whatever season you may be in…use it to grow closer to Jesus. To lean on Him and not your own understanding. This can be a time of great intimacy if you will humble yourself and enter into the most Holy Place. He is waiting for you now.
Pastor Dale had a better day yesterday. He was able to sit in his chair for a good portion of the time. That alone is an answer to prayer. Please be vigilant and fervent in your prayers for him and others who are struggling.
