The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” Exodus 33:14.

You are those who have continued with Me in My trials. Luke 22:28.

I love sharing with you what I am learning, and reading from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers: “It is true that Jesus Christ is with us through our temptations, but are we going on with Him through His temptations?…The temptations of Jesus continued throughout His earthly life, and they will continue throughout the life of the Son of God in us. Are we going on with Jesus in the life we are living right now? We have the idea that we ought to shield ourselves from some of the things God brings around us. May it never be! It is God who engineers our circumstances, and whatever they may be we must see that we face them while continually abiding with Him in His temptations. They are His temptations, not temptations to us, but temptations to the life of the Son of God in us…Are we remaining faithful to the Son of God in everything that attacks His life in us? Are you going on with Jesus? The way goes through Gethsemane, through the city gate, and on “outside the camp” (Hebrews 13:13). The way is lonely and goes on until there is no longer even a trace of a footprint to follow – but only the voice saying, “Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19).”

Bear with me, because now we read our chapter, Isaiah 9, and it is powerful! Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan – The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. v. 1-2. On those living in the land of deep darkness…a light has dawned…Creator God Himself came to be one of us and to live with us and His teaching remains, His Spirit remains in us, a great light! For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, You have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. For unto 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. Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. v. 4-7. And then, a verse repeated 3 times in this chapter alone, and continues in the next…Yet for all this, His anger is not turned away, His hand is still upraised…v. 12, 17, 21. Why? All the people will know it – Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria – who say with pride and arrogance of heart, “The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with dressed stone; the fig trees have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars.”…But the people have not returned to Him who struck them, nor have they sought the Lord Almighty…for everyone is ungodly and wicked, every mouth speaks folly…Surely wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briars and thorns, it sets the forest thickets ablaze, so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke…v. 9-10, 13, 17, 18.

He is with us but do we turn Him away? Are we filled with pride? In what? For what? There is another, better way. When you open your heart to God, your life will never be the same. Will there be sore trials? Yes! Will He be with you? Yes! Will you be with Him? We have so much to learn, we who have chosen to go our own way thinking it is everything there is. How is that working for you? On those living in the land of deep darkness…a light has dawned…and it can never be extinguished!