Category Archives: Uncategorized

God’s Acceptance; February 12, 2021


Isaiah 56:8 The Sovereign Lord declares– he who gathers the exiles of Israel: “I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.” I have long loved the verses ahead of this, talking about the inclusion of foreigners into … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Growth; February 11, 2021


Isaiah 49:20 “The children born during your bereavement will yet say in your hearing, ‘This place is too small for us; give us more space to live in.’” For once I prefer the NIV here to the Japanese. The Japanese … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Outcome; February 10, 2021


Isaiah 49:4 But I said, “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.” Various passages … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

World Missions; February 9, 2021


Isaiah 45:22-24 “Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Love of God; February 8, 2021


Isaiah 43:4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and I love you… Multiple Japanese translations isolate this from the second half of the verse, leaving out the conjunctions the NIV inserts, which makes me think the Hebrew … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Word of God; February 7, 2021


Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers and the flowers fall,but the word of our God stands forever.” There are many angles to this seemingly simple statement. Isaiah has just been talking about the fleeting existence of grass and flowers as a … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fulfillment of Prophecy; February 6, 2021


Isaiah 11:12 He will raise up a banner for the nationsand gather the exiles of Israel;He will assemble the scattered people of Judahfrom the four quarters of the earth. I don’t think most people have any awareness of the fact … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Joy of Harvest; February 5, 2021


Isaiah 9:3 You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as men rejoice when dividing the plunder. It is somehow significant that in a Scripture reading list based on … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Planning; February 4, 2021


Ecclesiastes 11:6 Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Talk about practical advice! … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Sovereignty of God; February 3, 2021


Ecclesiastes 3:14 I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. This chapter is quite well known, with the first … Continue reading

Posted in Christian, encouragement, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment