Isaiah 43:2 - There Is Help In Troubled Times.
Isaiah 43:2 (NLT) When you go through deep
waters, I will be with you. When you go through
rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you
walk through the fire of oppression, you will not
be burned up; the flames will not consume you.
Isaiah 43:2 (NIV) When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you; and when you pass
through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be
burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.
INTRODUCTION
Going through rivers of difficulty will
either cause you to drown or force you to grow
stronger. If you go in your own strength, you are more
likely to drown. If you invite the Lord to go with
you, he will protect you. [Life Application SB]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Ive been bitten by a lot of snakes in
my lifetime. When I was a kid, I collected
them. As a result, a number of those snakes bit
me, including gopher snakes, king snakes, boas,
and pythons.
The book of Acts tells us about a time
when the apostle Paul was bitten by a snake - a
venomous snake. After being shipwrecked on the way to
Rome, he and his fellow prisoners made their way
to shore along with Roman soldiers. And as they
warmed themselves by a fire, a snake fastened
itself to Pauls arm.
Everyone thought Paul would die, of
course, but he simply shook off the snake into the
fire. Paul lived to see another day because it
wasnt his time.
If God still has a plan and a purpose for
you or me, we will continue on with our lives,
just as Paul did. We will live as long as God
wants us to live, and He will protect us until
that day. Psalm 91:7 says, Though a thousand
fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying
around you, these evils will not touch you
(NLT).
This doesnt mean that we should test
the Lord, however. Instead, we should trust Him.
You and I will be around as long as God wants us
around. As God said to Abram (later called Abraham),
Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect
you, and your reward will be great (Genesis
15:1 NLT).
Thats wonderful for us to know. But
what about that moment when death comes? Then
death comes. But heres what the Bible says:
To live is Christ, and to die is gain
(Philippians 1:21 NKJV). Or, as another translation puts
it, Living means living for Christ, and dying
is even better (NLT).
The reality is that a Christian doesnt
have to fear death, because God is greater, even,
than that. [Greg Laurie from Harvest Ministries;
https://www.harvestdaily.com]
COMMENTARY
We will not be able to meet the trials of
this time without God. We are not to have the
courage and fortitude of martyrs of old until
brought into the position they were in. The Lord
proportions His grace to meet every emergency. We are to
receive daily supplies of grace for each daily
emergency. Thus we grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ, 1888/460
The disciples were not endowed with the
courage and fortitude of the martyrs until such
grace was needed. Then the Saviour's promise was
fulfilled. DA354
Those who accept Christ as their personal
Saviour are not left as orphans, to bear the trials
of life alone. He receives them as members of
the heavenly family; He bids them call His
Father their Father. They are His "little ones,"
dear to the heart of God, bound to Him by the
most tender and abiding ties. He has toward them
an exceeding tenderness, as far surpassing what
our father or mother has felt toward us in our
helplessness as the divine is above the human. {DA 327.2}
How to Get the Help You Need for Today
When you became a Christian, did you
expect life to suddenly be perfect?
If you did, I bet you found out pretty
quickly that there are all kinds of trials for
Christians - including relational, financial, physical,
and mental. Some people expect life to be heaven
on earth. But this is not heaven!
We pray for Gods will to be done on
earth as it is in heaven"because then it would
be done perfectly.
But on earth, God's will is seldom done.
Everything on this planet is broken. The weather, the
economy, our bodies, and our relationships dont
always work right. We can be sure that, because of
sin, bad things will happen.
We can also be assured of Gods
promises to support us in all the trouble we will
face on this earth.
"When you go through deep waters and
great trouble, I will be with you. When you go
through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown!
When you walk through the fire of oppression, you
will not be burned up - the flames will not
consume you. For I am the Lord your God" (Isaiah
43:2-3 TLB).
When you go through deep waters and
rivers of difficulty, God doesnt promise that
you won't get wet. You're going to go through
some problems that have pain. You're going to get
wet. But God does promise that you're not going
to drown. When you go through the fire, its
going to get hot. But God promises that you're not
going to burn up. Youre going to make it
through.
Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all
things [which He has called me to do] through Him
who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His
purpose - I am self-sufficient in Christs
sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to
anything through Him who infuses me with inner
strength and confident peace]" (AMP). That doesnt
mean that you can do anything because of who you
are. It means you can have confidence in whatever
trouble life brings because you face it with the
power of Christ in you.
You may not feel very strong right now.
But the strength you need will come when you
need it. The Bible doesn't say to ask God for
your weekly or monthly bread. It says to pray,
"God, give me my daily bread. I need just enough
strength for today."
God will support you in your trouble. He
always gives you the strength you need for today.
[Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/]
ILLUSTRATION
Bow or burn. That essentially was the
choice that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced.
King Nebuchadnezzar had a 90-foot golden image of
himself erected in Babylon and then commanded
everyone in the kingdom to bow down to it. If they
didnt, they would burn.
But sticking out like three sore thumbs
were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who stayed
on their feet. They knew from the first two of
the Ten Commandments that God told them
specifically not to bow before another god.
When King Nebuchadnezzar heard about what
they did, he gave them one more chance. But they
still refused. They were from Nebuchadnezzars
court, so this was an embarrassment to him
personally. He was so angry that he gave the order for
the furnace to be heated seven times hotter.
Then his soldiers tied them up and threw them
in.
However, Nebuchadnezzar couldnt
believe his eyes when he looked in and saw four -
not three - figures walking around in the fire.
I believe this was an Old Testament appearance
of Christ walking with them.
Nebuchadnezzar called them out of the
furnace and said, Praise to the God of Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue
his servants who trusted in him (verse 28
NLT). Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had the
resolve to make their stand because of the
decisions, commitments, and resolutions they made years
earlier.
Do you have character? Are you
compromising as a Christian? Are you doing what is right,
even in the little things? Every Christian will
face the temptation to compromise. But character
is not made in a crisis; it is only exhibited.
As you approach the beginning of a new
year, its a good time to have some resolution -
not a bunch of hard-to-keep resolutions. Its
a good time to have purpose, commitment, and a
dedication to doing the right thing. [Greg Laurie from
Harvest Ministries; https://www.harvestdaily.com]
LINK FOR FURTHER STUDY ON THIS PASSAGE
Isaiah 43:2 - In Troubled Times You Are Not
Alone.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2020/20200702-0839.html
YOUR COMMENTS
If anyone has a paraphrase, commentary or
testimony on this passage of Scripture, either
personal or otherwise, I would be interested in
hearing from you. Thanks in advance and let's keep
uplifting Jesus that all might be drawn to Him. Fred
Gibbs
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Most Important Decision in Life:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0
A Man without Equal by Bill Bright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiVa7UoruIo
Steps to Peace by Billy Graham:
https://stepstopeace.org/
Seeking God Made Real:
http://vimeo.com/31489782
Prayer Made Real:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc8VdMV26VE
LINKS FOR BIBLE STUDIES
Lifting Up Jesus Bible Studies:
http://www.liftingupjesus.net/
Amazing Facts Bible Studies:
http://www.amazingfacts.org/bible-study/bible-study-guides.aspx
Voice of Prophecy Discover Bible Study
Guides:
https://www.voiceofprophecy.com/study/discover
Glow Tract Video Bible Studies:
http://www.bibleresearch.info/
LINKS FOR BIBLE PROPHECY SEMINARS
Unlocking Bible Prophecies by Cami Oetman of
Adventist World Radio: https://www.awr.org/bible
Panorama of Prophecy with Pastor Doug
Batchelor: https://www.panoramaofprophecy.com/
Hope Awakens by John Bradshaw of IIW:
https://itiswritten.tv/programs/hope-awakens
Prophecies Decoded by Pastor Ron Clouzet:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1A435C5373550657
Islam and Christianity in Prophecy, The
Third and Final Conflict by Tim Roosenberg:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHSJB-fuHLU&list=PLWhQIHGTHlkaGg5Cwe3NDzWtFX8vNSpsE
