“But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.” – Isaiah 63:16

In their book “Reconciling All Things: A Christian Vision for Justice, Peace and Healing”, Emmanuel Katongole and Chris Rice share the true story of Billy Neal Moore, who would both find Jesus in prison and ultimately find his victim’s parents to be his greatest advocate:

“When Billy Neal Moore was in jail, awaiting the trial in which he would be sentenced to death, a minister shared with him the good news that Jesus loved him and wanted to forgive his sins. Moore learned that no one is beyond redemption. From prison, he wrote to his victim’s family and asked their forgiveness.

Astoundingly, they immediately wrote back to say that they also were Christians and that they forgave him. Then the family decided to petition the Georgia parole board to commute Moore’s death sentence. In 1991, Moore was paroled from prison, transformed by the grace of God and his victim’s family members. “When I was released, they embraced me like a brother,” Moore said of Stapleton’s family. He has been preaching the gospel of forgiveness to schoolchildren and church groups ever since.”

God has redeemed us! Today in prayer, give thanks to our Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

“But this Christ or Redeemer took not upon him the nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, that is, human nature, that in the nature which sinned he might make the expiation required.” – Adam Clarke

God’s Word: “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” – Isaiah 44:6

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.” – Isaiah 58:11

Charing Cross is the geographical center of London, England, and the location of one of the primary railway stations in the city. The name stems from the fact that King Edward I erected a cross on that site in memory of his wife Eleanor after her death in 1290. “All distances in the United Kingdom from London are measured from Charing Cross.” This spot is referred to simply as ‘the cross.’ A lost child was one day picked up by a London ‘bobby.’ The child was unable to tell where he lived. Finally, in response to the repeated questions of the bobby, and amid sobs and tears, the little fellow said, ‘If you will take me to the cross, I think I can find my way from there.’

This story of the little boy inspired Jessie Brown Pounds to write the hymn “The Way Of The Cross Leads Home”.

Look to Jesus in all that you do and He will guide you. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that He loves you and He will guide you.

“The way of the cross leads home,

The way of the cross leads home;

It is sweet to know, as I onward go,

The way of the cross leads home.” – Jessie Brown Pounds

God’s Word: “He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” – Psalm 25:9

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“This is what the Lord says: ‘Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.” – Isaiah 56:1

In his book “Race and the Christian”, Timothy Keller writes: “I knew a man who was the head of a set of car dealerships in the South. The way in which things were done was you could come in and negotiate, and the salesman had a pretty big window of what they could give you the car for. They would negotiate, you would negotiate, and it was a lot of horse-trading going on except there was car-trading I guess.

The salesman couldn’t go lower than this, but they could get this high and so it was a tradition. Somebody did some research and found out that men always were better negotiators with the salesmen than women, and white men and black men were better negotiators than African-American women.

When somebody actually looked at what was going on, African-American women were regularly paying far more for their cars and were actually subsidizing the price for white men.

With that information, the dealer had two options.

On the one hand, he could say “because we’re not deliberately trying to hurt African-American women, we make better profits this way, we have no responsibility.” Or, we could pursue justice for all people, and take a deeper look at the system.

The owner, a Christian man, ultimately decided he did have a responsibility to change the system. Ultimately, he changed the entire way he sold cars, beginning by creating a set-price, with no haggling allowed.

At first, his own profits went down, with a noticeable loss of white male car buyers. Nevertheless, he says it’s the only way to be just. Over time however, as word got out about their change in pricing, a noticeable higher number of women and minorities began buying their cars from their dealership.

What does righteousness look like? Do we have eyes to see systemic injustice? And are we willing to do something about it?”

In all things, do what is right to bring glory to Christ. Today in prayer, ask the Lord how you can do what is right today.

“The time is always right to do the right thing.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

God’s Word: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” – Isaiah 1:17

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD” – Isaiah 55:8

In the early years of the 19^th century Sir Walter Scott, poet and novelist, took a voyage round the north and west coasts of Scotland in company with Robert Stevenson, the famed lighthouse constructor. Scott went for pleasure, and wherever they landed spent his time in visiting ruined castles, talking with the old gossips of the hamlets and picking up local traditions, which he afterwards wove into his fascinating stories. Stevenson was sent out by Trinity House to survey the coast, mark out dangerous reefs, and choose the best sites for lighthouses. Scott landed when the weather was fair and the sea smooth. Stevenson faced the gales in open boats, visited jagged rocks over which the surf boiled, and braved countless dangers, because he was commissioned to find out where warning beacons must be fixed and lighthouses placed, and how in the coming generations imperiled lives could be saved.

When the storm outside shakes doors and windows we sit by the fireside deriving pleasure from the writings of Scott; but the seaman battling with the waves finds salvation through the thought and work of Stevenson. The two men were the best of friends, and as they met day by day had many interests in common. But their thoughts ran in different directions because Scott had no responsibilities and was catering for the tastes of his admiring readers, whilst Stevenson bore upon his soul a great burden of human life. Their paths diverged, for their duties varied and their minds were acting in different grooves. God thinks with the burdens of a doomed race resting upon His soul of love, and acts to ransom them from the power of destruction.

God’s thoughts and ways are beyond ours, even as the heavens are higher than the earth. Today in prayer, give praise to the Lord that His ways are best.

“The goodness of God is infinitely more wonderful than we will ever be able to comprehend.” – A.W. Tozer

God’s Word: “How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts are very deep!” – Psalm 92:5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

"In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the LORD your Redeemer.” – Isaiah 54:8

Best-Selling leadership author Stephen Covey tells the following story about an incident he experienced in the New York subway system, an experience that would radically alter his perception of what is often happening behind the scenes of our lives:

“I remember a mini-paradigm shift I experienced one Sunday morning on a subway in New York. People were sitting quietly – some reading newspapers, some lost in thought, some resting with their eyes closed. It was a calm, peaceful scene. Then suddenly, a man and his children entered the subway car. The children were so loud and rambunctious that instantly the whole climate changed.

The man sat down next to me and closed his eyes, apparently oblivious to the situation. The children were yelling back and forth, throwing things, even grabbing people’s papers. It was very disturbing. And yet, the man sitting next to me did nothing. It was difficult not to feel irritated. I could not believe that he could be so insensitive as to let his children run wild like that and do nothing about it, taking no responsibility at all. It was easy to see that everyone else on the subway felt irritated, too. So finally, with what I felt like was unusual patience and restraint, I turned to him and said, “Sir, your children are really disturbing a lot of people. I wonder if you couldn’t control them a little more?”

The man lifted his gaze as if to come to a consciousness of the situation for the first time and said softly, “Oh, you’re right. I guess I should do something about it. We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don’t know what to think, and I guess they don’t know how to handle it either.”

Can you imagine what I felt at that moment? My paradigm shifted. Suddenly I saw things differently, and because I saw differently, I thought differently, I felt differently, I behaved differently. My irritation vanished. I didn’t have to worry about controlling my attitude or my behavior; my heart was filled with the man’s pain. Feelings of sympathy and compassion flowed freely. “Your wife just died? Oh I’m so sorry! Can you tell me about it? What can I do to help?” Everything changed in an instant.”

The Lord has compassion on you. Today in prayer, give praise to Jesus that He loves you and is compassionate toward you.

“His is a loving, tender hand, full of sympathy and compassion.” – D.L. Moody

God’s Word: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” – Colossians 3:12

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” – Isaiah 53:6

In her book “Mythical Me: Finding Freedom from Constant Comparison”, Richella J. Parham writes: “As I was talking with my friend Robin one day, she told me of a good deed she had done, but then she stopped and said, ‘Of course, I know I’m just a sinner’ I then asked Robin, who has a young-adult daughter, to describe her daughter to me in twenty-five words or less. I watched as my friend’s eyes lit up and her lips tilted into a smile.

‘She’s beautiful. She’s fierce and wise. She’s a lover of Jesus, a friend to all, and a defender of the poor. She is my inspiration.’

‘Why didn’t you describe your daughter as a black-hearted buzzard?’ I asked. ‘Isn’t she ‘Yes, of course she is, but that’s not how I think of her,’ Robin answered. ‘Why not?’ I queried. ‘Because I love her’ came the reply. ‘And why do you love her?’ I pressed. ‘Because she’s my daughter,’ came the quick answer from my friend, now wearing a puzzled look.

‘If this is how you feel about your daughter, how do you suppose your Father in heaven feels about you?’ I asked, knowing the answer.”

Though we are all sinners and sin causes death, Jesus paid the price for our sins. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that He paid the price for our sins.

“On the cross, Jesus Christ — who was without sin — took upon Himself your sins and mine, and He endured the divine judgment that we deserve for our sins. He paid the price for our salvation, and now He offers it to us as a gift — free and fully paid for.” – Billy Graham

God’s Word: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” – 1 Peter 3:18

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:4-5

Grover Cleveland, urbane, sometimes wise, and a future President of the United States, never served in the military during the Civil War. He was healthy, of the appropriate age, and educated. His Buffalo, New York, law practice provided him a comfortable living.

He avoided military service by simply taking advantage of that section of the Enrollment Act of 1863 allowing draftees to pay $300 to a substitute who served for them.

The Enrollment Act, enacted by the Thirty-seventh Congress in response to the need to swell the ranks of the Union army, subjected all males between the ages of twenty and forty-five to the draft.

Grover Cleveland, twenty-six at the time of his enrollment in June 1863, paid George Brinski, a thirty-two-year-old Polish immigrant, to serve in his place as a private in the Seventy-sixth New York Infantry. He was wounded in 1864, but survived the War.  

Jesus not only pardoned our sins, He took the punishment for them. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that He became our substitute on the Cross.

“The death of Christ as our substitute is the heart of the gospel. It’s not just that He died, but that He died for our sins.” – Gil Rugh

God’s Word: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” – 1 Peter 2:24-25

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn;” – Isaiah 51:1

Professor Kenneth E. Bailey writes:

“While living in the south of Egypt, a group of friends and I traveled deep into the Sahara Desert by camel. As our trek began, the temperature soared to above 110° Fahrenheit in the shade, and there was no shade. On our way, one goat-skin water bag leaked all of its precious contents. With consumption high due to the heat, we ran out of water, and for a day and a half we pressed on while enduring intense thirst.

The goal of the excursion was a famous well named Bir Shaytoun, deep in the desert. Our guide promised us that it was never dry — ah, but could we survive to reach its life-giving liquid silver? My mouth became completely dry, and eating was impossible, because swallowing felt like the rubbing of two pieces of sandpaper together. My vision became blurred, and the struggle to keep moving became harder with each step. We knew that if the well was dry, our armed guards would probably have forcibly seized our three baggage camels, and ridden them back to the valley, leaving the rest of us to die.

As I staggered on, my mind turned to this verse ["Blessed are those who … thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled"]. I knew that I had never sought righteousness with the same single-minded passion that I now gave to the quest for water. We found the well in time.”

We were designed to be in fellowship with our Creator. Today in prayer, seek Jesus with your whole heart and you will be satisfied.

“The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God.” - Rick Warren

God’s Word: “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” – Psalm 105:3-4

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“When I came, why was there no one? When I called, why was there no one to answer? Was my arm too short to ransom you? Do I lack the strength to rescue you? By a mere rebuke I dry up the sea, I turn rivers into a desert; their fish rot for lack of water and die of thirst.” – Isaiah 50:2

Robert Harkness (1880-1961) was an Australian pianist influential in the transition in churches from organ to piano music. Early on, he traveled with evangelist R. A. Torrey and played at his evangelistic rallies. One night in Canada, he met a young convert, preoccupied with the fear that he might lose his faith. Harkness was moved by the encounter. He wanted a song that would encourage believers that they could succeed in the Christian life, so he reached out to London songwriter Ada Habershorn (1861-1918), asking her to help with a song. She wrote seven songs! One of these was “When I Fear My Faith Will Fail,” to which Harkness wrote the music:

“When I fear my faith will fail, ⁠Christ can hold me fast; ⁠When the tempter would prevail, ⁠He can hold me fast…. ⁠He’ll not let my soul be lost, ⁠⁠Christ will hold me fast; ⁠Bought by Him at such a cost, ⁠⁠He will hold me fast.”

Do you ever feel like you are hopelessly lost? Rejoice that Jesus is there with you. Today in prayer, realize that in every situation Jesus can rescue you from your trouble.

“For my Saviour loves me so, He will hold me fast.” – Ada Habershorn

God’s Word: “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;” – Isaiah 59:1

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me.’ ‘Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!’” – Isaiah 49:14-15

There are at least 33 people in the world could tell you what they ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner, on February 20, 1998. Or who they talked to on October 28, 1986. Pick any date and they can pull from their memory the most prosaic details of that thin slice of their personal history.

Others, no doubt, have this remarkable ability, but so far only those 33 have been confirmed by scientific research. The most famous is probably actress Marilu Henner, who displayed her stunning recall of autobiographical minutiae on “60 Minutes” a few years ago.

What makes this condition, known as hyperthymesia, so fascinating is that it’s so selective. These are not savants who can rattle off long strings of numbers, Rainman-style, or effortlessly retrieve tidbits from a deep vault of historical facts. In fact, they generally perform no better on standard memory tests than the rest of us.

Nope, only in the recollection of the days of their lives are they exceptional.

Though we may forget God, the Lord always remembers us. Today in prayer, give thanks to Jesus that He deeply loves you and never for a moment forgets you.

“Once we experience God in our loneliest place—the place where we feel most abandoned by humans—we begin to comprehend that he is always there. He has always been there. His love and comfort surround us no matter where we go.” – Mary Fairchild

God’s Word: “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.” – Isaiah 44:21

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“‘You are my witnesses,’ declares the LORD, ‘and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.’” – Isaiah 43:10

In her book “Out of the Saltshaker & Into the World”, Rebecca Manley Pippert writes: “Christians and non-Christians have something in common: we’re both uptight about evangelism. Our fear as Christians seems to be How many people did I offend this week? We think that we must be a little obnoxious in order to be good evangelists. A tension builds inside: Should I be sensitive to people and forget about evangelism, or should I blast them with the gospel and forget about their dignity as human beings?

Many Christians choose to be aware of the person but then feel defensive and guilty for not evangelizing…Our problem in evangelism is not that we don’t have enough information—it is that we don’t know how to be ourselves. We forget we are called to be witnesses to what we have seen and know, not to what we don’t know. The key on our part is authenticity and obedience, not a doctorate in theology. We haven’t grasped that it really is OK for us to be who we are when we are with seekers, even if we don’t have all the answers to their questions or if our knowledge of Scripture is limited. But there is a deeper problem here.

Our uneasiness with non-Christians reflects our uneasiness with our own humanity. Because we are not certain about what it means to be human (or spiritual, for that matter), we struggle in relating naturally, humanly to the world. For example, many of us avoid evangelism for fear that we will offend someone. Yet how often have we told our skeptical friends that that’s why we are hesitating?”

The Lord has allowed each of us to tell others about His goodness and grace. Today in prayer, ask the Lord to give you an opportunity today to be His witness.

“A good witness isn't like a salesman, emphasis is on a person rather than a product. A good witness is like a signpost. It doesn't matter whether it is old, young, pretty, ugly; it has to point the right direction and be able to be understood. We are witnesses to Christ, we point to him.” – John White

God’s Word: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

"Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him, and he will bring justice to the nations.” – Isaiah 42:1

One of the best stories of humility is that of a man who arrived in 1953 at the Chicago railroad station to receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He stepped off the train, a tall man with bushy hair and a big moustache. As the cameras flashed and city officials approached with hands outstretched to meet him, he thanked them politely. 

Then he asked to be excused for a minute. He walked through the crowd to the side of an elderly black woman struggling with two large suitcases. He picked them up, smiled, and escorted her to the bus, helped her get on, and wished her a safe journey. Then Albert Schweitzer turned to the crowd and apologized for keeping them waiting. It is reported that one member of the reception committee told a reporter, “That’s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking.”

Jesus came as a servant of God to bring us back to Himself. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that by serving others we become more like Him.

“Not everybody can be famous but everybody can be great, because greatness is determined by service.” – Martin Luther King

God’s Word: “Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, in whom I delight;

I will put my Spirit on him, and he will proclaim justice to the nations.” – Matthew 12:18

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” – Isaiah 41:10

In his book “I’d Like You More If You Were More Like Me”, Pastor John Ortberg shares a story from his own life meeting a young kid while surfing:

“A few weeks ago, when I was out surfing, there was no one else in the water. In fact, there was no one around at all, except a guy the size of Goliath doing tae kwon do on the beach. After I’d been out a little while, a tiny wisp of a kid came paddling up out of nowhere—I couldn’t believe he was out there by himself. He pulled his little board right up next to mine. He was so small he hardly needed a board. He could have stood up in the ocean on a Frisbee.

Anyway, he started chatting with me like we were old friends. He told me his name was Shane. He asked me how long I’d been surfing. I asked him how long he’d been surfing. “Seven years,” he said. “How old are you?” I asked. “Eight.” He asked me about my kids and my family. Then he said, “What I like about surfing is that it’s so peaceful. You meet a lot of nice people here.” “You’re a nice guy, Shane,” I said. “That’s why you meet nice people.”

We talked a while longer. Then I asked him, “How did you get here, Shane?” “My dad brought me,” he said. Then he turned around and waved at the nearly empty beach. The Goliath doing martial arts waved back. “Hi, Son,” he called out. Then I knew why Shane was so at home in the ocean. It wasn’t his size. It wasn’t his skill. It was who was sitting on the beach. His father was always watching. And his father was very big. Shane wasn’t really alone at all. Neither are we.”

When we become fearful, we need to relax and know God is with us. Today in prayer, if you are in the grip of fear, rest in the Lord and He will deliver you from all fears.

“Don’t try to hold God’s hand; let Him hold yours. Let Him do the holding, and you do the trusting.” – The Rev. Prebendary Webb-Peploe

God’s Word: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31

Pastor Richard Goble shares the following story:

“There is a legend among Native Americans in the west about a brave who found an eagle’s egg and put it into the nest of a prairie chicken. The eaglet hatched with the brood of chicks and grew up with them. All his life the eagle thought he was a prairie chicken, so he did what the prairie chickens did. He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. He clucked and cackled. And he flew in a brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that’s how prairie chickens were supposed to fly.

The years passed, and the eagle grew very old. One day, he saw a magnificent bird far above him in the cloudless sky. Hanging with graceful majesty on the powerful wind currents, it soared with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings.

“What a beautiful bird!” the eagle exclaimed to a prairie chicken who was his neighbor. “What is it?”

“That’s an eagle – the chief of the birds,” the neighbor clucked. “But don’t give it a second thought. You could never be like him.”

So the eagle never gave it another thought. And he died thinking he was a prairie chicken.

How Does This Apply to Our Lives? The eagle, made to soar in the skies, was conditioned by his surroundings to stay earthbound. There, he pecked at seeds and chased insects. Rather than trying to achieve his full potential as an eagle, he adopted his neighbor’s standard for life: “Hey, don’t worry about flying. Let’s scratch around in the dirt and find us some bugs.” So he never became what he was supposed to be, even though he had the capability of doing so.”

In Jesus our lives can take flight. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that when we walk with Him, He carries us to greater heights.

“You know how the eagle wings are obtained. Only in one way—by the eagle birth. You are born of God. You have the eagles’ wings. You may not have known it: you may not have used them; but God can and will teach you to use them.” – Andrew Murray  

God’s Word: “who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.” – Psalm 103:5

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“No one living in Zion will say, “I am ill”; and the sins of those who dwell there will be forgiven.” – Isaiah 33:24

One day in 1976, Stamatis Moraitis felt short of breath. Climbing stairs was a chore; he had to quit working midday. After X-rays, his doctor concluded that Moraitis had lung cancer. As he recalls, nine other doctors confirmed the diagnosis. They gave him nine months to live. He was in his mid-60s.

He lived in New York City at the time and he decided to return to Ikaria, Greece where he was born. As the months passed, Moraitis got healthier. Living with his aged parents, he regained his health.

In the 17th century, Joseph Georgirenes, the bishop of Ikaria, described its residents as proud people who slept on the ground. “The most commendable thing on this island,” he wrote, “is their air and water, both so healthful that people are very long-lived, it being an ordinary thing to see persons in it of 100 years of age.”

In heaven, there will be no more illnesses, no more death. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that He will put an end to illness and death.

“He that blotteth out our transgressions, will heal our souls.” – Matthew Henry

God’s Word: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” – Revelation 21:4

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” – Isaiah 26:3

In Northern Ireland, there’s a city that’s so divided, part of the population calls it Londonderry and others calls it Derry. In this city Protestants live on the east bank of the River Foyle and Catholics on the west bank.

Many don’t like to mix; so, one of the solutions was to build a bridge.

Opened in June 2011, the 900-foot bridge curves like a snake and is for walkers, joggers, and cyclists. They named it “Peace Bridge.” It is intended to improve relations between the largely unionist Waterside on the east bank with the largely nationalist Cityside on the west bank, by improving access between these areas. The bridge also provides a crossing over the railway line approaching Waterside station. The asymmetrical bridge is supported by two sloping pillars and symbolizes a coming-together of the two communities. 

Keep your mind focused on Jesus and you shall have peace. Today in prayer, throughout the day think upon Jesus.

“The habit of reckoning on Christ is the key to a restful life.” - F. B. Meyer

God’s Word: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” – John 14:27

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” – Isaiah 12:2

Peter Baltes played bass for the heavy metal band Accept, one of the hottest bands in Europe in the 1980s. Peter was named heavy metal bass player of the year in 1985 and was leading the classic rock ‘n roll life. Although he never tried hard drugs, he drank constantly when the band was on the road.                    

Although he was an atheist at the time, Peter and his lead guitarist were often drawn to churches while they were on the road.

“We went to churches all the time, me and Wolfe, the guitar player, because of the architecture, but it was a place of refuge where it was quiet and people were praying.”

Peter was confronted with his own mortality and began to search for answers. One Sunday, he and his wife attended a local church. 

“So I went and I sat in the second floor balcony next to the exit door. I was ready to leave. At any given moment, I could have just snuck out, but I stayed.”

Later that week, two members of the church paid Peter a visit.

“They started talking to me and asked me about God. I told them, ‘I don’t believe. I think it’s all humbug.’ They asked me more questions, and I got a little aggravated. For like three or four hours, we went back and forth. Then finally I threw them out of the house.” Peter felt remorse realizing the men had come with good intentions.

The two men returned a week later. This time, Peter was ready to listen to them.

They just asked me, ‘Would you mind if we prayed for you and with you?’ All I remember is that I started getting… first I got cold and then I got warm. Then I started sweating a lot and shaking a little bit. At the end, they just both asked me how I feel, and I said, ‘I never felt like this before in my entire life.’ They said, ‘Are you ready to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, because that’s the only way you will ever feel this way again.’ I said, ‘Absolutely, yes.’ That’s how I got saved. The next day, I never smoked a cigarette, drank a beer or any alcohol. I haven’t drunk alcohol for ten or twelve years now. My whole life changed.”

Salvation is found only in Jesus. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that He is your Savior.

“Never does a person see any beauty in Christ as a Savior, until they discover that they are a lost and ruined sinner.” – J. C. Ryle

God’s Word: “The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” – Psalm 118:14

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” – Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah gives us four names of Jesus in this one verse. What are some of the other names of Jesus? Here are seven more:

1. Advocate,  1 John 2:1

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.

2. Almighty,  Revelation 1:8

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

3. Alpha and Omega, Revelation 22:13 NIV

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

4. Amen,  Revelation 3:14

“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation.

5. Anointed one,  Psalms 2:2; Acts 4:26.

Acts 4:26 NIV

26 The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed one. ’

6. Apostle,  Hebrews 3:1 NIV

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.

7. Author and Finisher of our faith,  Hebrews 12:2 KJV

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus rules over all. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that He is Mighty God.

“If you had a thousand crowns you should put them all on the head of Christ! And if you had a thousand tongues they should all sing his praise, for he is worthy!” – William Tiptaft

God’s Word: “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” – Matthew 28:18

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14

Pastor W.A. Criswell said the following about Isaiah 7:14: “Well, immediately every liberal and higher critic in the land would say, “That is not literal. That’s fancy. That’s poetry. That’s imagination.” Every infidel and atheist in the land would say that is anything but literal. No child born of a virgin. No child, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father. And of course, all the humanists—these who bow at the shrine of the ableness of mankind—they scoff and sneer and laugh. “That is not literal. That’s not true.

But Matthew said it was. Matthew said all of this came to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, “A virgin, parthenos, virgin shall be with child, and the name the Child shall be God is with us” [Matthew 1:22-23].

John says it is literal and true: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God, face to face with God” [John 1:1-2]. “And the Word was made flesh . . . and we saw His glory,” the glory as of God Himself [John 1:14]. 

Paul said that is literally true. He is the express image of the invisible God, and in Him all things hold together, consist, sunestēken [Colossians 1:15, 17]. And that’s our faith. It is literal.”

The virgin birth is a miraculous event signally the start of the most extraordinary life on earth – Jesus. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord that He became a man.

“Therefore Mary, having a man betrothed and being nevertheless a virgin, by yielding obedience, become the cause of salvation both to herself and the whole human race.” - Irenaeus

God’s Word: “This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.” – Matthew 1:18

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH   †

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.” – Isaiah 6:1

Pastor Brian Bell tells the following story of a chief changed by Jesus: “The story is told of a college professor who visited the Fiji Islands. Being agnostic, he critically remarked to an elderly chief, "You're a great leader, but it's a pity you've been taken in by those foreign missionaries. They only want to get rich through you. No one believes the Bible anymore. People are tired of the threadbare story of Christ dying on a cross for the sins of mankind. They know better now. I'm sorry you've been so foolish as to accept their story."

The old chief's eyes flashed as he answered, "See that great rock over there? On it we smashed the heads of our victims. Notice the furnace next to it? In that oven we formerly roasted the bodies of our enemies. If it hadn't been for those good missionaries and the love of Jesus that changed us from cannibals into Christians, you'd never leave this place alive! You'd better thank the Lord for the Gospel; otherwise we'd already be feasting on you. If it weren't for the Bible, you'd now be our supper!”

One day we shall see the Lord and we shall worship Him. Today in prayer, worship Jesus and praise Him for His glory.

“I see the Lord seated on the throne exalted

And the train of His robe fills the temple with glory

And the whole earth is filled And the whole earth is filled

And the whole earth is filled with His glory” – Chris Falson

God’s Word: “Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.” – John 12:41

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth.

Here they come, swiftly and speedily! Not one of them grows tired or stumbles, not one slumbers or sleeps; not a belt is loosened at the waist, not a sandal strap is broken.” – Isaiah 5:26-27

In 2005, three Indonesian mothers, Eti, Rebekka, and Ratna, were imprisoned for teaching Muslim children in their Sunday School.

Prison was shocking, discouraging and very hard at first. One of the women was the bread winner for her family. But after two years in prison, they have learned a lot from the Lord. The prisoners received more than 15,000 letters of support from Christians worldwide.

One of them said: “I praise God for this opportunity to be in prison. It is all because of His plan that we are here, not because we are criminals. This is an experience of a lifetime—I will share it with my grandchildren. I pray that my time here and my experiences in prison will be a blessing for others. I believe He prepared us earlier, because our faith, hope and love are with us during times of difficulty. For me, prison is a symbol of my faithfulness as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Like the Apostle Paul, who also was in prison when he shared the gospel, it is our obligation to tell our children and grandchildren that to suffer for Christ is not a bad thing.”

Only Jesus can unify people. Today in prayer, give thanks to Jesus that we are united in Him.

“Believers are never told to become one; we already are one and are expected to act like it.” - Joni Eareckson Tada

God’s Word: “I will whistle for them and gather them in, for I have redeemed them, and they shall be as many as they were before.” – Zechariah 10:8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“Youths oppress my people, women rule over them. My people, your guides lead you astray; they turn you from the path.” – Isaiah 3:12

One of the most oppressive countries is Eritrea. Eritrea has been ruled by its unelected president, Isaias Afewerki, since independence in 1993, with no legislature, no independent civil society organizations, and no independent judiciary. The transitional constitution, which guarantees civil rights, has never been implemented—removing all checks on Isaias’s arbitrary rule. 

Thousands of prisoners languish in the country’s extensive prison network, held in overcrowded places of detention with inadequate food, water, and medical care. Many are held incommunicado and detained indefinitely, denied basic due process rights, without access to legal counsel, judicial review, or family visits, some for decades. 

The United Nations Human Rights Council has stated that the human rights situation in Eritrea remains dire and shows no sign of improvement.

The Lord will judge those who were placed in authority. Today in prayer, pray for America’s leaders that they may follow Christ.

“The rulers shall therefore come face to face with an angry God and shall have the sentence of judgment passed upon them for such conduct. This statement is true not only with reference to the leaders of Israel but to those public officials of all nations who abuse the rights and prerogatives of their offices.” – David Cooper

God’s Word: “Let them alone; they are blind guides. And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” – Matthew 15:14

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †

“‘Come now, let us settle the matter,’ says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;’” – Isaiah 1:18-19

In his book “Finding God in Unexpected Places”, Philip Yancy writes about a woman names Johanna in South Africa:

“Tattoo-covered gang members controlled the prison, strictly enforcing a rule that required new members to earn their admittance to the gang by assaulting undesirable prisoners. Prison authorities looked the other way, letting these “animals” beat and even kill each other. Alone, this attractive young woman started going each day into the bowels of that prison. She brought a simple message of forgiveness and reconciliation, trying to put into practice on a smaller scale what Mandela and Bishop Tutu were trying to effect in the nation as a whole. She organized small groups, taught trust games, got the prisoners to open up about the details of their horrific childhoods.

The year before she began her visits, the prison had recorded 279 acts of violence; the next year there were two. Joanna’s results were so impressive that the BBC sent a camera crew from London to produce two one-hour documentaries on her. I met Joanna and her husband, who has since joined her in the prison work, at a restaurant on the waterfront of Cape Town. Ever the journalist, I pressed her for specifics on what had happened to transform that prison. Her fork stopped on the way to her mouth, she looked up and said, almost without thinking, ‘Well, of course, Philip, God was already present in the prison. I just had to make him visible.’”

Jesus came to reconcile us to God and to others. Today in prayer, praise Jesus that He is our reconciliation.  

“God did not wait for a change of heart on our part. He made the first move. Indeed, He did more than that. He did all was necessary to secure our reconciliation, including our change of heart. Even though He is the One offended by our sin, He is the One who makes amends to Himself through the death of Christ.” – Jerry Bridges

God’s Word: “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.” – Matthew 5:25

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2023, Devotional E-Mail   

DEVOTIONS IN ISAIAH †